


Nova

by Ranger_Nova



Category: Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
Genre: Gen, Tangea, Tangeans, biography
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-24
Updated: 2013-09-27
Packaged: 2017-12-03 12:30:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 71,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/698250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ranger_Nova/pseuds/Ranger_Nova
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A detailed look at the lives of Mira Nova and her father as she goes from princess to Space Ranger and eventually grows into the woman we know and love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a completed story, and a new chapter shall be posted every week. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> This story is dedicated to my good and dear friend Alexa, otherwise known as allislaughter, who has done so much for me, and is one of the loveliest people I have ever known.

_"This is a mistake."_ Regulus Nova - King Regulus Nova - could still hear his father's words echoing in his mind. _"I forbid you to continue seeing that wild, repulsive girl! We don't want her kind in the palace, and we certainly don't want her in the royal family!"_  
  
The young king slipped a pair of green gloves onto his hands _. I'm sorry, Father. I know you were against this, but I need her. Especially now that you're gone._ He'd only been king for a month, but already he'd realised it was impossible to handle his royal duties alone. He needed Cerise at his side. People had called him callous for marrying so soon after his father's death, and to someone the old king had openly disapproved of, no less - but their opinion was unimportant. The only person who mattered to him was Cerise.  
  
Straightening his coat one last time, King Nova took up his cane and ghosted out his room and into the hall. Two long rows of guards awaited him outside, bowing at the sight of their ruler. As Nova made his way towards the wedding hall, they fell in step behind him, their boots echoing loudly through the corridor. _Cerise must hate this,_ he sighed. _She didn't want a big wedding. But what can I do? I'm the king now - this level of ceremony is expected._  
  
When they reached the wedding hall, he hesitated outside the wall, then stepped through. The blow of trumpets he was greeted with momentarily deafened him, and not for this first time that day he wondered, half-seriously, if it would have been better to elope. Crowds were cheering on either side of him, and they had to be kept at bay by the guards.  
  
"Reg!" Nova looked up and smiled. Cerise was standing at the altar, her blue eyes shining. She was a vision of loveliness, he thought, even in the hideous dress they'd forced her to wear. Her dark hair hung down in shimmering tresses, and a wide smile covered her face.  
  
 _I'm glad she's handling this so well._ The king marched up the steps, leaving his guard escort behind. Halfway up the stairs, he was stopped by Angstrom, one of his closest friends.  
  
"Congratulations," Angstrom whispered to him.  
  
"I'm not married yet," returned Nova. "Don't jinx it." He continued up the steps, coming to a stop beside Cerise.  
  
The young woman's smile widened. "You look wonderful, Reg."  
  
"Silence, please. No unnecessary talking is allowed during the ceremony." Angstroms' father, the Royal Chancellor, was presiding over the wedding, and it was clear that he did not approve of Nova's choice of brides.  
  
 _Few people do,_ the king thought bitterly. Rather than being a noble like almost everyone else at the palace, Cerise was a commoner from one of the few land-based Tangean cities, and most Royals regarded surface-dwellers as little better than the Grounders. Normally, someone of such a high status as Nova would never have even come into contact with a person like her, let alone married her, but a chance visit to the surface had brought them together. _It was meant to be._ Nova looked at Cerise with certainty. They were meant to be together.  
  
He took her hand and squeezed it, and the chancellor began to read out the vows.


	2. Chapter 1: Burdened

"What is she doing now? Has she moved?"  
  
"She's trying, Doctor, I can feel it." Cerise put her hand on her enlarged stomach, sensing the struggles of the child within her.  
  
"You need to create a link between your minds," the doctor urged. "It's essential that you synchronize your powers."  
  
Cerise nodded, furrowing her brow as she concentrated, while her husband massaged her shoulders. "You can do it, Cerise," he whispered.  
  
"I'm almost there..." She shut her eyes. "Come on, child, come on..."  
  
King Nova watched in wonder as a tiny hand ghosted out, and then the rest of his daughter slowly ghosted through her mother's womb and into the waiting doctor's arms. "Is she all right?" he asked nervously.  
  
"She seems to be in perfect health, Your Highness," the doctor assured him with a smile, lifting the baby and looking her over. "Would one of you like to hold her?"  
  
"Yes." Cerise nodded, and her face lit up when the doctor lowered the baby into her arms. "She's so beautiful..."  
  
The girl had a few wisps of orange hair crowning her head, while her skin was the usual pale blue that distinguished Tangeans from other races. Her most noticeable features were her wide, expressive blue eyes, which darted around curiously as if she were trying to take in her surroundings.  
  
"She is beautiful," Nova agreed, kissing Cerise's forehead. "We still haven't decided on a name. What do you think we should call her?"  
  
Studying her daughter for several moments, Cerise answered, "What was that name you suggested this morning? Mira, wasn't it?" She smiled. "I liked that - it sounded pretty."  
  
"Princess Mira Nova does have a nice ring to it," Nova admitted, caressing the girl's head. "So does _Queen_ Mira Nova. Yes, I think that's we'll call her. Mira."  
  
Cerise beamed at her husband and hugged her baby closer. "She's wonderful, isn't she? Little Mira." Resting her head on Nova's shoulder, she sighed. "I don't think I've ever been this happy in my whole life."

* * *

Work. That was all he ever seemed to do. King Nova sighed, reading through the list of items on his schedule. In a few minutes, he'd have to meet with the council to discuss an upgrade to the water filtration system. _If this is what my father had to deal with every day, I can understand why he was always so miserable,_ Nova groaned to himself.  
  
"Reg!" Cerise suddenly ghosted into the office. "You have to come see this!"  
  
"I've got to prepare for a meeting, my love." Nova gathered a sheaf of papers from his desk. "Can't it wait?"  
  
"No, you must come!" Grabbing his arm, Cerise pulled her husband out the office and into their bedroom. Little Mira was there, teetering unsteadily on two legs. "Come, Mira! Come to your mother!"  
  
Nova leaned against the wall, watching in delight as his young daughter took one wobbly step forward, and then another. "Mama!" Mira cried, finally reaching her mother.  
  
"Isn't it wonderful?" Cerise took Mira into her arms. "She's learning to walk!"  
  
Nova smiled. "She's a clever girl." He ran his hand through the unruly red mop of hair on Mira's head. "And a very pretty one at that."  
  
Mira giggled at the attention, grabbing her father's hand and pulling at his fingers. "Dadda!"  
  
Slipping his hands around her, King Nova gently lifted Mira away from Cerise and held her against his face. "Yes, Daddy's got his little girl." He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Daddy loves her."  
  
"She's growing so much," Cerise sighed happily. "She seems to learn something new every day."  
  
Nova carefully set his daughter back on the floor, and she tried to take another step, but fell face-first onto the floor. "Mira, are you all right?" The king knelt beside her.  
  
"Dadda!" Giggling, Mira quickly crawled away.  
  
"You won't get away that easily!" Nova crawled after her, chasing her across the room on all fours until he finally had her backed in a corner. "Got you!" He grabbed Mira and began tickling her.  
  
"Dadda!" she squealed, trying to break free. She erupted into a fit of giggles and kicked her legs at him, but he clung on tightly and continued tickling.  
  
A knock on the wall suddenly interrupted their antics. "May I come in?"  
  
Nova sat up. "Yes, Angstrom, enter."  
  
The tall, well-built Tangean ghosted through. "Your Highness." He bowed to Nova, though a look of amusement mingled with distaste crossed his face when he saw the king sitting on the floor. "You're needed in the council chambers. It's time for the next council meeting."  
  
Nova's face fell. "Now?" He looked down at Mira. _I'd rather stay with you and your mother._  
  
"We can't keep the council waiting," replied Angstrom.  
  
With a sigh, King Nova rose to his feet. "I'll be back this evening." He kissed Cerise on the cheek. "Keep Mira out of trouble while I'm gone."  
  
His wife grinned. "I'll try." She scooped the toddler into her arms. "Say bye-bye to Daddy, Mira."  
  
Nova patted Mira's head. "Be a good girl for your mother." Mira smiled and cooed.  
  
"We really _must_ be going now," Angstrom advised. "We're already going to be late."  
  
"I'm coming, I'm coming," sighed Nova in exasperation, following Angstrom out the room. "Why is it I never have any time for my family these days?"  
  
"A king's duties must come before all else," Angstrom answered, his head held high, "including family." His lips curled into a faint smirk. "Of course, you could always abdicate."  
  
Nova raised an eyebrow in return. "The Nova family has ruled Tangea for seven hundred years. You want me to bring an end to all that now?"  
  
Angstrom shrugged, still smirking. "Why not? Since your only heir is too young to take the throne, the office would naturally fall on the Royal Chancellor..."  
  
"...your father?"  
  
"I was thinking of myself, actually." Angstrom took off his monocle and breathed on it. "I doubt my father will live much longer."  
  
King Nova stopped in his tracks. "I thought he was only suffering a temporary illness? That's what you told me when you took over his duties last month."  
  
Angstrom began polishing the monocle on his sleeve. "Oh, apparently it's more serious than that. He went to see one of the court physicians today, and the doctor says he's dying."  
  
"Dying? I... I'm so sorry to hear that." Nova still looked shocked. "What's wrong with him?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know. I think the doctor mentioned something about poison," shrugged Angstrom, replacing his monocle, "but I doubt there's any truth to that. Probably just his heart or something. He's never been well."  
  
Nova rubbed his temples. "This really is bad news. Your father's been chancellor for over thirty years. I need him. He knows far more about running this place than I do, and I couldn't possibly find a suitable replacement."  
  
Angstrom frowned and stifled a low cough. "Have I not performed the chancellory duties adequately thus far?"  
  
"Well, yes, but..."  
  
"I would be happy to take over the position full-time."  
  
"But..." Nova started to protest, but trailed off and shrugged. _He's probably the best man for the job, and it's essential that I find someone to fill the chancellorship. I can't do this job without a few good advisors at my side._ He sighed. I can barely do this job as it is. "If you want the position, it's yours."  
  
Angstrom's face spread into a smile. "Thank you, Your Majesty."  
  
It was well past midnight before the council finally adjourned. A long argument had broken out over structural changes that would have to be made for the new water filtration system, and half the council had been outraged by the idea that alterations would need to be made to the palace's aesthetic to accommodate it. King Nova had listened in weary silence for hour upon hour, barely able to stay awake as the quarrel dragged onwards. At last, a decision all parties could agree on was reached, and the king could finally leave the conference table and stretch his stiff legs.  
  
"Angstrom," he sighed, walking with his friend as they left the room, "next time they force me to go to a council meeting, please just shoot me instead."  
  
Angstrom raised an eyebrow. "As you wish," he smirked.  
  
Yawning, Nova turned down a different corridor. "I'll see you tomorrow, Angstrom." The future chancellor nodded, and they each went their separate ways, both anxious to get some rest. King Nova felt half asleep already as he trudged down the hall, having to practically drag each foot forward. _Don't those windbags in the council ever get tired?_ he mused to himself. _How can they argue for hours on end like that?_ He rubbed his eyes. The worst part of the whole affair was that it had happened before - he'd already been in several council sessions that had gone on far longer than they should have, and he knew it would happen again.  
  
He stumbled onwards, barely awake enough to see where he was going. It had been little more than two years since he was crowned king, but they were easily the hardest years of his life. The only bright spots were his wife and daughter. _And I'm so swamped with work that I never have any time to see them,_ he growled to himself. His relatively carefree life as prince had been turned upside down with the death of his father. Now, everything was about work, and about ruling Tangea. It seemed as if he had to be consulted for every decision, no matter how minor, and it seemed like there was always someone he had to meet, some council session to go to, or some banquet to attend. He had no time to live his life anymore, and at the end of the day, he felt very, very tired.  
  
Reaching a staircase, he began plodding downwards, gripping the handrail to keep himself steady. Most of the palace lights had been dimmed, and the dark atmosphere added to his drowsiness. He hoped he could stay awake long enough to get to his room; it wouldn't do for the king of Tangea to take a nap in the middle of a hallway.  
  
When he lifted his foot from the final step and set it on the floor, a faint pulse of energy rose through his leg, seemingly beckoning him to come closer. He knew it was from the palace's fusion core, which was situated on the level below. He'd often sensed it when he was walking through the palace, but he'd never found it quite so enticing before. Perhaps it was because it refreshed him slightly, giving him a little extra energy, which he needed right now. Or perhaps his tired mind was simply noticing it more because he had nothing else to focus on.  
  
He lingered at the bottom of the staircase for several minutes, soaking up the faint waves of energy that rippled up from the floor. It wasn't much, but it helped. His mind seemed a little clearer, and he didn't feel quite so exhausted. Finally, he decided it was time to go, and he continued walking down the hall. When he reached his room, he ghosted through wearily and took off his coat. After hanging it up, he paused by Mira's crib to kiss his sleeping daughter, then set himself down on the edge of the bed, careful not to wake Cerise, and began taking off his shoes. He barely got them off before he succumbed to tiredness, and had to slip into bed without changing into his nightgown. The effects of the energy had already worn off, and he was asleep by the time his head hit the pillow.

* * *

It was only a couple of hours later when he awoke, and he still felt exhausted. Closing his eyes, he snuggled closer to his wife and tried to return to a state of blissful slumber, but after a few minutes he gave up. In spite of his tiredness, sleep was refusing to come, and eventually he pulled back the covers and stood up. If he couldn't get any rest, then he could at least use this opportunity to finish some paperwork. Perhaps if he got it done now he'd have more time to spend with his family the next day.  
  
After making some warm tea, he dragged himself to his office and set the steaming cup on the desk. He opened a drawer, pulled out some papers, and collapsed into his chair. His eyes scanned over the pages, but most of the words didn't register in his mind. Shaking his head, he took a sip of the tea and made another attempt to concentrate, but he still felt too groggy. _This won't do,_ he sighed. _I can't sleep, but I can't work either._ He felt like banging his head against the desk.  
  
Rubbing his eyes, he put down the teacup and tried to think of something he actually could do. Nothing came to mind. It looked as though he was in for a long night of sleeplessness and boredom. _Brilliant._  
  
He rested his face in his hands and closed his bloodshot eyes. He would never understand why anyone ever _wanted_ to be king. The power the position held was certainly enticing, but that was negated by the vast amount of mind-numbing, time-devouring work required.  
  
If it were possible, he might seriously consider Angstrom's joking suggestion to abdicate. Unfortunately, he knew he could never abandon his duties. He'd already disappointed his father in so many other ways; he would not give him any more reasons to roll in his grave.  
  
 _Ugh, I don't want to spend the whole night moping._ He pulled himself up from the chair. _Maybe a short stroll will clear my head._ Leaving the office, he grabbed his coat from the hanger and slipped it on. After finding his cane, he opened the door, stepped out, and began walking aimlessly down the hall. No one else was around, so he was left to his own thoughts as he ambled along. Memories surfaced of a meeting with Cerise, held late at night in these very corridors, that occurred shortly after his father had forbidden them to see each other. Cerise had spent a month at the palace on Prince Nova's invitation, but when King Algol found out his son was in love with the girl, he was outraged and ordered her to leave. The couple had managed to hold one last meeting before Cerise left, but it had been a very miserable time for both of them. They'd promised to stay loyal to one another, but Nova had very much doubted they'd meet again. However, only two months later, Algol died, and suddenly Nova was thrust into the position of king. Realising quickly that he couldn't handle the job alone, he'd called Cerise back. Now they were together, and everything should have been well. But he knew it wasn't. The work was still overloading him, and Cerise was too busy with their daughter to help much. It was enough to make anyone feel drained.  
  
He trudged on. Things were only going to get worse now that his chancellor was dying. Angstrom was certainly quite capable of taking his father's place, but he didn't have nearly as many years of experience. It was going to be -  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden pulse of energy he felt coming from the floor. _I must be above the power core again._ The weak energy field took the edge off his exhaustion, and he basked in the feeling for a few long moments. _I wish these effects would last longer,_ he sighed. If he were to step away from the core, he knew he would revert back to his old, worn-out self. The effects were dependant on close proximity to the power source. _If only I could get closer._ Kneeling, he placed his hand on the floor and sighed as the energy rippled through it. _Perhaps... Perhaps I_ could _get a little closer._ He closed his eyes in concentration and began phasing his hand. Pressing it through the floor, he felt a rush of ecstasy as it entered the core below. _That feels so good._ He didn't want to draw his hand away, but he knew he couldn't remain on the floor. When he finally pulled his hand out, he was astonished to see a faint glow of energy crackling around it.  
  
 _What is this?_ He studied his hand carefully, turning it over and flexing it. Whatever had just happened, it certainly didn't seem bad. On the contrary, he felt quite invigorated. _Maybe I should try that again. It might give me enough strength to get through this awful night._ He slipped his hand back into the energy core, sighing as the power coursed through him. The closer he was, the more he felt drawn to it, and he found himself leaning against the floor, pushing his arm as far down as it would go.  
  
After a moment's hesitation, he decided it wasn't enough to be near the core. He wanted to be among all that energy. He wanted to enter the core. All it took was a second of concentration, and he was sinking through the floor. When he relaxed his ghosting powers, he found himself inside the fusion reactor. His eyes couldn't register anything beyond blinding white light, and all he could feel was the energy swirling and surging around him, overloading his senses as it was absorbed by his body. It was the most wonderful sensation he had ever experienced.

* * *

It was daybreak before he finally left the core, and when he did it was with the greatest reluctance. The real world felt cold and unpleasant in comparison, and the only consolation was the field of energy that remained with him when he stepped out. He felt so different from when he'd entered. Everything about him had changed... It was as if he'd grown stronger, smarter, faster, and just... _better_. He loved it. For once he felt not only ready but excited to tackle the day.  
  
He returned to his room, where he feverishly set to work in his office. Before long all the paperwork was finished. It was almost disappointing - now he had nothing to do. He even looked through all his drawers several times to make sure there wasn't anything he'd missed.  
  
A knock on the wall suddenly got his attention. "Reg, are you in there?" It was his wife.  
  
"Yes, darling," he called cheerily. "Nice morning, isn't it?"  
  
Cerise ghosted in. "You're not working at this hour, are you? You should have some breakfast first."  
  
"Oh, I've already finished all my work." King Nova waved his hand in dismissal. "Breakfast does sound good, though. I'm starving."  
  
Cerise hardly heard him. "Reg..." Her eyes were wide. "Reg, you're glowing!"  
  
"So I am," Nova nodded nonchalantly. "What of it?"  
  
"But..." Cerise was at a loss for words. "How?"  
  
"Oh, it's not important." He would have liked to tell her, but something in the back of his mind prevented him from doing so. He couldn't be sure, but he vaguely recalled hearing once that it was wrong for a Tangean to ghost through a power source. Of course, it couldn't be all that big of a deal if he'd never heard anything else about it, and the effects certainly seemed positive, but he still didn't want Cerise to know. She might worry, and he'd hate to cause her any distress. "Let's go to breakfast now, shall we?"  
  
Cerise looked at him uncertainly, but nodded. "I'll tell one of the servants to bring the food in. You can wake up Mira."  
  
"Okay." Nova rose from his chair and kissed Cerise. "You look lovely this morning, by the way." After kissing her again, he entered their room and made his way to the crib. Mira was still sleeping peacefully, and it seemed a shame to wake her. He traced his hand across her chubby face, and was surprised by the contented sigh which escaped her lips. Apparently she could sense the energy he was giving off, and she liked it. _I'm sure I must be wrong about this power ghosting being taboo. How could it possibly be a bad thing?_


	3. Chapter Two: A Difference of Opinion

“Look, Mira, look at the waterfall!” Cerise lifted her four-year-old daughter above the balcony’s railing to give her a better view. In front of them was a steep, rocky cliff face, with a torrent of sparkling water cascading over it, eventually forming a cloud of mist as it poured into the river below.

Mira stretched out her hand, as if trying to touch the distant falls. “Can we go there, Mommy?”

“I don’t know, darling.” Cerise placed Mira back on the ground. “Perhaps Daddy will let us go some day.” She had her doubts, though; no matter how often she begged, her husband refused to let her take Mira to the surface. He said it was too dangerous for a young girl, to which Cerise promptly replied that _she’d_ grown up on the surface, and nothing ever happened to her. Nova still refused, however, and she knew there was no changing his mind once it was made up. _Mira’s got that same stubborn streak,_ she thought, gazing at her daughter. The little girl was trying to climb the railing, even though she’d been told many times not to, and her mother had to pull her away. “Come on, Mira, we’d better go.”

“But I want to look at the water!” Mira pouted.

“It’s time for your lessons now, darling.” _Though why a girl her age should have to do lessons, I don’t know._ Her husband had insisted on it - apparently all children in the palace started attending school at three - but Cerise had strongly disapproved. A child shouldn’t be forced to grow up so quickly, she believed. They needed time to play, and to enjoy themselves.

“Please, Mommy! Let’s stay!” Mira struggled against her mother’s grip. “I hate school.”

Cerise shook her head. “I’m sorry, darling, but you have to go.”

Her lower lip trembling, Mira promptly sat on the ground and refused to move. “I’m not going.”

 _So, so stubborn._ With a sigh, Cerise knelt beside her. “Don’t make this difficult, Mira. I really haven’t got time for another tantrum.”

“I’m _not_ going!”

“Why not? It can’t be all that bad, dear.” Cerise stroked her daughter’s hair. “Why do you always make such a fuss about going?”

Mira’s lips quivered again. “They don’t like me there.”

“Who doesn’t like you?”

“Everyone. Especially Cygni.” A small tear threatened to trickle down her face. “She hates me.”

Cerise brushed the tear away. “I’m sure that’s not true.”

“It is,” insisted Mira, sniffing. “She’s mean to me. _I_ hate _her._ ”

“Oh, darling, don’t say things like that,” Cerise chided gently. “I doubt Cygni hates you. If... If she’s anything like her mother, then she’s probably just jealous of you.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re a princess. She isn’t.”

“But why’s she j-je-jealous?” Mira struggled with the long word.

Cerise shrugged sadly. “She wishes she was a princess. She thinks your life is better than hers.” She thought of Lady Deneb, Cygni’s mother. The older woman often treated Cerise coldly, ignoring her whenever possible, and spreading gossip about her behind her back. In the palace, status was everything, and this resulted in much jealousy among the different classes in the royal court. Even after five years as queen, Cerise still had trouble getting used to it. Where she came from, most people were of an equally low status, and they cared little for advancing their social standing. Staying alive and making ends meet were far more important. “I’m afraid you’ll just have to deal with it, Mira. There are always going to be people who envy you because of your position.”

“But what do I do when they’re mean to me?” the girl whimpered, still hoping to get out of attending school.

Cerise bit her lip. She’d asked her husband a similar question when she first moved to the palace and started experiencing scorn from others. He’d simply told her to ignore the people who were looking down on her. To please him, she’d complied, but it hardly seemed an appropriate answer to give to her daughter. Her instincts had always taught her to tackle problems head on. “If they’re mean to you, tell them to stop,” she replied at last. “Stand up to them. Make sure they understand they can’t treat you that way.”

Mira nodded. “Okay.” She looked at her mother hopefully. “But can I still stay here? Please?”

“No, darling.” Cerise pulled her up firmly. “You’re going to school.”

“Aw, craters,” complained the little girl, kicking a plant pot in frustration.

“Mira! Where did you learn language like that?”

“From you,” she answered innocently.

“Well... Don’t let your father catch you using it.”

* * *

“All right, what’s next on my schedule?” King Nova had just signed several stacks of paper in less than a minute, and was now looking questioningly at his secretary. “Anything else?”

The secretary, Sir Gemini Castor, searched through his notes. “You have a meeting with Lord Deneb to discuss the construction costs of the new city,” he answered.

“Ah, yes,” Nova nodded. “I’ll go see him right away.” He sprang from his chair and practically bounded out the room.

Castor sighed. It was an open secret among the court that the king was engaging in power ghosting. Even without the constant glow surrounding him, it still would have been obvious. He had far more energy than he did in the past, and he’d acquired an amazing zest for work.

The ghosting had been going on for a couple of years, and it was all the court could do to keep the media from finding out. At first, they’d considered confronting the king and advising him to stop - several stories existed of Tangeans who’d power ghosted and either ended up dead or as burnt-out vegetables. However, when they saw how much the king was accomplishing through his powers - new cities were commissioned, upgrades were made to the existing cities, projects that previous kings had been working on for decades were finished, and for once everything at the palace was running smoothly - they decided against it. Well over two years had passed, and he was still suffering no ill effects, so the court continued to keep quiet about the issue. After King Algol’s miserable reign, they weren’t about to question a king who was actually getting things done.

* * *

“Very good, boys. You’re clearly putting a lot of concentration into it. Let’s see if you can do it again, all right?” Ignoring the teacher’s voice in the background, Mira peered out the school window, gazing at the beautiful surface stretched out below. She’d already had to sit through a boring history lesson, then an etiquette lesson, and now she was waiting her turn as the children were being taught to enhance their ghosting powers. She’d spent most of the lesson by the window, her eyes sweeping over the lush jungles that covered the ground and the distant cliffs lining the horizon. Her mother often told stories about the surface, describing the plants and animals which lived there, and the strange beings called Grounders who spent their entire lives on the surface. The more Mira heard, the more she wanted to leave the palace and visit the ground. She wanted to explore all the places her mother talked about and see all the things her mother described. To her four-year-old mind, it sounded like the most wonderful place imaginable.

“Princess Mira! Princess, please pay attention!” She realised suddenly that the teacher had been calling her name. “Princess, it’s your turn now.”

“Yes, sir,” she nodded meekly. “Sorry.” Rising from her seat, she glanced out the window wistfully, then made her way to the front of the class. A girl with flowing blonde hair and a frilly red dress covered in intricate pink lace was standing next to the teacher, scowling at Mira as she approached.

“Miss Cygni is going to be your partner for this lesson,” informed the teacher. “The objective is to ghost her and yourself through this table, using only your own powers - she will not make any effort to ghost through herself. It requires a great deal of concentration to ghost two people, so you need to focus all your energy. Don’t let anything distract you.”

 _Bet you won’t be able to do it.”_ Cygni was silent, but the smug look on her face told Mira it was she who had projected that thought. The blonde girl’s mental powers were exceptional for her age - far above anyone else in the class - and she had no qualms about rubbing it in, especially when Mira was feeling unsure of her own powers.

 _Bet I will,”_ the princess tried to answer back, but she couldn’t summon enough strength to send to the thought out. What was worse, Cygni seemed to sense this, and became even more smug.

“All right, come along, girls. Let’s begin.” Their teacher led them to a narrow metal table, positioning them side by side at one end. “Mira, you must take Cygni’s hand and concentrate very hard on phasing her while you walk through the table. Block all other thoughts from your mind.”

Cringing, Mira entwined her fingers with Cygni’s, and shut her eyes tightly. Her small, upturned nose wrinkled as she focused her powers, and she began to tremble with the effort. Finally believing herself ready, she stepped forward and passed through the table, unable to feel anything but the faintest impression of its form. _I can do this!_ she thought proudly.

“Ow!” The sharp cry of pain caused Mira to lose concentration, and she stumbled through the rest of the table, releasing Cygni’s hand and collapsing onto the floor.

“What happened?” she asked weakly, pushing herself up.

“I’m afraid you were unable to complete the lesson successfully.” The teacher helped her to her feet. “You only ghosted yourself and not Miss Cygni.”

“You made me hit the table!” The other girl rubbed her head where it had struck the table when Mira pulled her forward. “I bet you did it on purpose!”

“I didn’t!” protested Mira, though she giggled when she saw the lump on Cygni’s head.

“See! You did do it on purpose!” Cygni pointed a finger at her. “You think it’s funny!” She folded her arms. “Stupid princess!”

 "Hey!” Mira remembered her mother’s words of advice. “Shut up!”

The teacher’s jaw dropped. “Now, girls, don’t speak to each other like this! It’s most unbecoming of young ladies such as yourselves. You need to -”

“I hate you!” Cygni stuck her tongue out at Mira.

 _I told Mommy she did!_ Taking a step forward, Mira raised her hand a slapped it across the other girl’s stunned face. “I hate you too!”

* * *

Pouring over the plans for the new city, King Nova nodded in acknowledgement as Lord Deneb explained the various costs involved. “That all sounds reasonable,” he said at last, looking up.

“I do think we could cut down on the labour costs, though, if we stuck to employing surface-dwellers for most of the work,” answered Deneb, carefully smoothing his grey moustache. “We wouldn’t have to pay them as much.”

Nova frowned. “Why not?”

“Well... You know,” Deneb coughed. “They naturally never get paid as much as civilised people.”

“Watch it,” Nova warned, casting a look of displeasure at his finance minister. “My wife was a surface-dweller before she became queen.”

“Yes, of course, Your Majesty.” Deneb nodded quickly “I meant no disrespect, I assure you. Queen Cerise is one of the rare gems among those otherwise uncivilised ruffians.” Although he tried to look as sincere as possible, there was a faint twitch to his face. The court’s opinion of the queen was considerably lower than Nova’s. However, they certainly wouldn’t admit that to the king - especially now that the power ghosting had made his moods so unpredictable. One minute he could be perfectly happy, and the next he’d be in a rage.

“Excuse me, your Highness.” Nova and Deneb both turned around in surprise as a school instructor entered suddenly. “I beg your forgiveness for interrupting, but I thought you should be informed of your daughter’s behaviour right away.”

“My daughter’s behaviour?” The king rubbed his forehead irritably. Mira could be such a handful at times, even for him. “What did she do?”

The teacher grimaced. “She got into an argument with Miss Cygni Deneb...” He glanced at the finance minister, who had begun to look concerned, “...and then she slapped her!”

Startled, Lord Deneb grabbed the teacher’s shoulder. “Is my daughter all right?”

“She has a split lip, I’m afraid.” The teacher collapsed into a chair, suddenly overcome. “Oh, it was most dreadful! I’ve never seen anything like it! Children in _my_ class fighting - how will I ever live this down?”

King Nova rolled his eyes. “Never mind about that. Where are they now?”

“I had the princess taken back to your chambers, and Miss Cygni is with her mother.”

Nova nodded. “Excuse me, Deneb, but I must speak to my daughter now. We can meet again later.” Leaving Deneb’s office, he marched through the palace halls with a scowl on his face, gruffly ordering one of the guards to find his wife. When he reached his room, he took a deep breath and stepped inside. Mira was sitting glumly on the bed, her face cast down as she awaited punishment.

“Daddy,” she whimpered, seeing him enter, “I’m sorry.”

Stopping in front of the bed, Nova bent down and rubbed her shoulder. “I’m sure you are. Tell me what happened.”

Mira sniffed. “Cygni was mean to me! She said she hates me. So I hit her.”

“But why?” The king stared into his daughter’s eyes. “That’s not the way a princess acts. You should have ignored her.”

“But Mommy said...”

Nova’s eyes narrowed. “What did your mother say?”

“She said I mustn’t let anyone be mean to me. She said I should stop them.”

 _Cosmos, what has she been teaching Mira?_ Sighing, Nova shook his head. “I don’t know what your mother told you, but I’m sure she didn’t mean for you to hit anyone. You’re not some filthy Grounder who uses violence to solve everything. You’re a Royal, and it’s time you started acting like one.”

Mira nodded meekly. “Yes, Daddy.”

The sound of footsteps caused Nova to look up, and a moment later his wife entered the room. “What happened?” she questioned.

The king looked down at Mira. “Go to your room. We will talk about this again later.” As soon as she left, Nova turned around and glared at Cerise. “Mira hit Lord Deneb’s daughter during school,” he told her. “She said _you_ advised her to take action against the girl.”

Cerise’s eyebrows shot up. “I only meant for her to tell the other girl off. I wouldn’t have advised her to do anything violent.”

“Then perhaps you should have explained things more clearly to Mira,” growled Nova. “You know what a temper she has.”

“Not unlike someone else in the family,” Cerise chuckled.

Her husband looked unamused. “Don’t change the subject, Cerise. We need to discuss this.” He began pacing about the room. “I know you grew up in a completely different environment, and you naturally have different views on childcare, so I’ve tried to be accommodating. But this is getting out of hand! Mira is a princess, not some dirt-wallowing surface dweller. She has to be raised as a princess.” Stopping by the window, he gestured to the world outside. “One day she’ll be queen of Tangea. The way we bring her up now will determine the kind of queen she becomes. We must be very careful how we raise her.”

While her husband paused for breath, Cerise launched into her own defense. “You don’t think I haven’t considered that? I spend hours thinking about her future, wondering how I can instill the kind of qualities in her she needs as leader.” She put her hands on her hips. “I don’t take any of this lightly. I truly want what’s best for Mira, and I’m working hard to give her the kind of upbringing she needs.”

“Then why do you fill her mind with nonsense?” Nova demanded. “You tell her stories about the surface, advise her to strike back at her classmates, prattle on about that dratted Galactic Alliance, and send the cosmos only knows what other conflicting messages to her!”

“I feel she should know about the universe around her,” retorted Cerise. “So many of the people here have never even left the palace. They know nothing about the outside world. I want Mira to have a broader knowledge than that. She’ll need it as queen.”

King Nova continued to stare out the window, his back turned to Cerise. “It’s one thing to _teach_ her about the outside world. It’s another thing entirely to make her want to go there.” He glanced back at his wife. “I’ve heard the way Mira talks about the surface. I can tell she wants to visit it.”

“And what’s wrong with that?” countered Cerise. “ _I_ want her to visit it. She’s spent her entire life in your world; I’d like to share a little bit of mine with her.”

Nova shook his head. “We’ve been through this before. It’s much too dangerous down there for her.”

“That’s not true.” Taking a step forward, Cerise joined her husband by the window. “This is one of the very reasons I want her to learn about the surface - so she won’t fear it like everyone else.” She sighed. “I don’t want her to be as close-minded as the people here.”

“Are you saying I’m close-minded?” King Nova tilted his head to look at her, the glow he emitted shining onto her face.

“Not as much as some of the others, but yes, you are.” She shrugged her shoulders indifferently. “It’s not your fault - it’s simply the way you were brought up. But I don’t want Mira to be that way. I want her to look at the universe with wonder and curiosity, not suspicion and fear.”                                  

“And I want her to be safe.” His anger abating, Nova leaned forward and brushed his hand over Cerise’s face. “Mira and you are the only things I have which really matter. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to either of you.”

Cerise rested her head on his shoulder. “Nothing’s going to happen to us. If I took Mira to the surface, I’d bring a couple of guards along to look after us. We’d be fine.”

Nova sighed softly. “No, my love. I’m afraid I simply can’t let you take her there. Perhaps one day, when she’s much older, but not now.”

He could see she wanted to protest, probably yell that he was much too stubborn, but she didn’t. “As you wish,” was all she said.

“And as for the incident at the school, you must speak to Mira about that and tell her she was wrong.” Nova laced his fingers and leaned out the window. “And in future, please think more carefully about the advice you are giving her.”

“Yes, Reg.” Cerise lingered a moment longer, then left to find Mira.

Feeling a gust of wind ripple through his hair, the king pulled his coat closer and continued to lean over the windowsill. A flock of birds were flying in the distance, calling to each other as they swooped down to the trees. Looking up, Nova could see puffy white clouds crossing the sky, some of them touching the higher towers of the palace. He could understand why his wife loved the outside world and wanted to expose Mira to it, but at the same time he worried too much to let her go. Wild beasts lurked in the jungles, the elements could be harsh and unforgiving, and Grounders roamed the land. Mira was far too young to visit a place like that.

Turning away, he suddenly found his hands were shaky and his glow was diminishing. _Blast it, why does my energy run out so quickly these days?_ Even a simple argument left him drained and in need of another power up. _I suppose I’ll have to visit the fusion core on my way to Lord Deneb’s office. I won’t be able to get any work done otherwise._ After three years, he’d come to depend on the energy so much that he couldn’t function without it.

This should have worried him, but it didn’t.


	4. Chapter Three: The Banquet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for taking so long to upload more of this! I blame laziness and the fact that AO3 keeps messing up my formatting.

“Hold still, Mira!” Restraining her daughter firmly with one hand, Cerise finished buttoning up the frilly dress and smoothing out the wrinkles. “There, you look gorgeous!”

As soon as Cerise let go of her, Mira bounded away. “Are you done now?” she asked.

“Yes, I’m done,” Cerise answered. “We can go to the party now.”

The little girl pulled a face. “Will it be a long party?”

“I don’t know, dear,” Cerise sighed, pausing by the bedroom mirror to straighten her hair. Her long auburn locks had been tied into a bun, with a few loose strands hanging over her pointed ears. She was wearing a flowing blue dress that shimmered in the light, while a silver necklace hung around her neck. Five-year-old Mira was adorned far more simply, wearing a pink frock with red ruffles. “All right, let’s go.” Cerise grabbed a pair of white gloves from the dresser and slipped them on as she led Mira away.

A pair of guards met them outside, and they were escorted to a vast banquet hall. In the centre was a long table overflowing with elegant dishes, while guests were dispersed in small clusters throughout the room. Most of them were Tangean, however a few outworlders were present as well. Inviting representatives from other worlds was a necessary step in maintaining diplomatic relations with the few planets they were allied with, but it was one the Tangeans would rather avoid. They kept their distance from the aliens, treating them with haughty disdain.

“Presenting Her Royal Highness, Queen Cerise Nova,” a guard announced to the guests.

Cerise forced a smile and began shaking hands with guests as she crossed the room, eventually joining her husband, who was speaking with a large, feline-like man covered in thick brown fur. “This is the Shragarakian ambassador, Mr. Aarrfvox,” introduced King Nova.

“An honour to meet you, Your Highness.” Aarrfvox bowed to the queen. 

Cerise nodded. “It’s an honour to meet you too, Ambassador.” She gestured to Mira, who was hiding shyly behind her skirt. “This is our daughter, Princess Mira.”

“Good evening, Princess,” greeted Aarrfvox.

Mira clung tighter to her mother. “Is that an alien, Mommy?”

Cerise blushed. “You’ll have to forgive her,” she told Aarrfvox, laughing nervously, “She’s never met any non-Tangeans before.”

“It’s quite all right,” dismissed the Shragarakian. He turned back to King Nova. “There are some things I would like to discuss with you, Your Majesty, which I think you’ll find very interesting.”

Nova rolled his eyes skeptically, stifling a yawn as he answered, “I doubt it, but by all means continue.”

Noticing that Mira also appeared bored, Cerise whispered to her daughter, “Perhaps you should run along to the table and get something to eat, dear.”

“Okay, Mommy.”

* * *

The prospect of food cheered Mira up, and she dashed across the room to the table, almost colliding with several dignitaries. Stretching her short, chubby arms over the table, she grabbed a dessert tray and began wolfing down the cakes it contained.

While she was doing so, she noticed a pair of aliens standing nearby, conversing with one another and enjoying the food. One was tall, well-dressed, and had a round, green head covered in eyeballs. The other was more casual in appearance and manner, wearing loose but sufficiently formal clothing and leaning comfortably against the table. His skin was a greyish brown, though a dark stripe stretched across his long nose, and he had white hair flowing down the full length of his back. On the sides of his head were two wide, pink ears. Mira stared at the alien men curiously. Taking a hesitant step forward, she asked, “Who are you?”

The green man’s many eyes shifted to focus on her. “I am Ambassador Treltak of Delrubia, Your Highness.” He bowed.

“Ambassador Corm of Rhizome.” Grinning, the other man held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Princess.”

Mira backed away nervously, eyeing Corm with suspicion. “I-I’m Mira.”

“I know.” Corm smiled in a friendly fashion, elbowing Treltak to get him to do the same. “There’s no need to be afraid. We’re acquaintances of your father’s.”

“I... I’ve never seen an alien before today.” There was both wonder and fear in Mira’s voice. “You’re so strange.”

Corm laughed, while Treltak looked mildly offended. “Wait till you see someone really strange, Princess,” chuckled the Rhizomian “There are plenty of races out there that make us look tame in comparison. Have you ever met a Raenok? Or a Phlegmian?” Mira shook her head. “Well, when you do, you’ll know what I mean. Treltak and I are pretty normal, aren’t we, Trel?” He clapped the other ambassador on the back, earning a glare.

Mira regarded them hesitantly for awhile, until her curiosity finally overrode her fear. “What are your planets like?” she inquired, stepping closer. Her mother sometimes told her things about the other worlds, but Cerise’s knowledge was limited, and Mira wanted to learn more.

Putting down his drink, Corm replied, “Rhizome is covered in forests - not unlike Tangea - and some of them extend as far as the eye can see.” He stretched out his arm to give an idea of the scale. “There aren’t many cities. Most people live in small villages scattered through the forests. But the cities that we do have are beautiful. Almost everything in them is living - the buildings, the vehicles, the technology. Rather than clearing away nature, we’ve adapted it for our uses.” He sighed. “It’s a wonderful environment to live in - no cares, no fears, no frustration. Just peace. I wish I could go back. Unfortunately, my work keeps me very busy.” He shrugged philosophically. “But, that’s simply the way the breeze blows. I enjoy my life on Capital Planet.”

Mira nodded, not quite understanding all he’d said, but fascinated by the idea of a plant-filled world. The palace had few plants, none of which were trees, so she knew forests only from what she could see of the surface and what her mother had told her. This didn’t stop her mind from conjuring up an image of Rhizome, however, and she suddenly felt a strong desire to visit it, just as she wished to visit the surface and all the other intriguing places she’d heard of but never seen.

* * *

Mira’s conversation - and everyone else’s - was interrupted by the sound of her father’s voice, which was raised angrily. “NO! How many times must I say it before you thick-headed outworlders understand? Tangea has no interest in joining your little alliance, and your continued insistence is not going to change that!”

“But Your Majesty, we have so much to offer -” Aarrfvox began.

“Enough,” commanded King Nova. “I don’t want to hear it. I refuse to let Tangea’s culture be eroded by outsiders.”

“I understand your concerns - in fact, Shragarak felt the same way when we were first invited to join,” admitted Aarrfvox. “But after we became members, we realised it was the best thing that ever happened to us. We’ve experienced a new age of prosperity. And,” he added, “our culture hasn’t suffered at all.”

“Oh, hasn’t it?” Nova scoffed. “I’ve spoken to a number of your people who feel differently. They say there’s been an influx of foreigners and foreign ideas on your world. They say your traditions and values are being undermined, and most of you don’t even realise it. I won’t have that happen on Tangea! That’s my final answer.” He turned away, but Cerise touched his arm.

“Reg, please, listen to him,” she pleaded. “They really do have a lot to offer us.”

Her husband shook his head. “You only want us to join because it will mean greater contact with outsiders. You’re probably hoping you’ll get to go off-world. Well, it’s not going to happen.” And with that he stormed away, pushing through the crowd until he reached a secluded balcony. To his surprise, Lord Angstrom was standing there, leaning on the railing and gazing across the moonlit land. “Angstrom? What are you doing here? I thought you were at the banquet.”

The chancellor nodded a greeting to the king but didn’t turn around. “With so many outworlders around, the atmosphere in there was beginning to get quite insufferable,” he responded. “And the view out here is nice.”

“Yes, it is,” affirmed Nova, sighing. “I don’t want it spoiled.”

“Trouble, Your Highness?” Angstrom guessed.

“It’s that blasted Galactic Alliance. They want us to join.” Nova clenched his fists. “I’ve been telling them no for months now, but they continue to insist - and now Cerise is trying to persuade me as well.” He slumped against the wall, and the glow around him, which was already very faint, seemed to fade even further. “Sometimes... Sometimes I wish life would slow down. No matter how hard I try, I can’t handle all these demands and pressures.” For six years he’d kept it together as king, but he wasn’t sure how much longer he could go on. Even the power ghosting didn’t help much anymore; he had to power up almost every hour to stay energised. It had been over two hours since his last trip to the reactor, and the withdrawal was becoming very obvious. His head throbbed and he had to fight to keep from shaking. The urge to forget the banquet and spend the rest of the night in the power core was almost overwhelming.

Angstrom observed him with a look of detached interest for a moment, as if weighing something in his mind, then said, “Perhaps you should rest. I can continue your duties at the banquet.”

“No, no,” sighed Nova. “I’m the king. I should be there - I just need a few minutes away from everything. I can’t take anymore demands from that Ambassador right now - or from my wife.” A pained look crept across his face. “I... I love Cerise, but her views are so different from mine. She has some strange ideas, and she’s passing them on to Mira. I fear for what my daughter’s reign will be like if she follows her mother’s advice. Mira is Tangea’s future - she mustn’t have her mind filled with nonsense.”

Angstrom nodded. “I can see why you are worried. However, I am sure Tangea will end up in good hands.” A smile curved over his face.

* * *

Joining her daughter at the table, Cerise poured herself a glass of wine (noting with irony that it was made by surface-dwellers like herself, but rarely enjoyed by anyone but the aristocracy) and tried to forget the incident with her husband and the ambassador. Mira had other ideas, however.

“Why was Daddy shouting?” the girl asked.

Cerise sighed, downing most of the drink (a very fine vintage, she thought, possibly even coming from her home town - cosmos, how she missed that place). “Your father is just being his usual stubborn, prejudiced self,” she fumed. “I can’t believe how stuck in the past he is! We need to move on from our old isolationist stance - why can’t he see that? He is so narrow-minded!”

Stepping closer, Ambassador Corm broke in, “I realise it’s none of my business, Your Highness, but I really don’t think you should criticise your husband like that in front of your daughter. I understand your frustration - we’re all disappointed that Tangea won’t be joining the Alliance - but it’s not good to get so angry.”

“You’re right, it isn’t any of your business,” snapped Cerise, bringing her glass down sharply on the table. “So please leave me alone.” She looked away. “I’m tired of being told what I can and can’t do.” Taking a deep breath, she turned to Mira and forced a smile. “Now, tell me, dear, have you been enjoying yourself?”

“Yes, Mommy!” Mira’s head bobbed up and down excitedly. “The alien told me about his planet! There are lots of plants there.”

Cerise nodded, relaxing. “That’s nice.” She picked up her drink and took another sip. “I’m glad you’re so interested in other worlds.” _Even if I can’t change Reg’s mind, at least I can teach Mira not to fear outsiders. Perhaps one day she’ll bring about the changes we need._

“Can we go to Rhizome, Mommy?” Mira looked at her mother hopefully. “Please? I want to see it!”

“No.” King Nova had reentered the room. He frowned at his wife. “Cerise, have you been giving her foolish ideas again?”

Pursing her lips, Cerise shook her head. “She was just talking to one of the ambassadors. There’s no need to accuse me of anything.”

Nova shrugged tiredly. “I know what you’re like - you want to sway her to your way of thinking.” Then, apparently assuming the conversation was over, he began piling food onto his plate.

“That’s because my way of thinking isn’t as limited as yours,” Cerise returned, pulling him around to face her again.

“Cerise,” he sighed, “I don’t want to argue about this now.”

“Well I do!” There was an angry glint in Cerise’s normally friendly eyes. She could see he was tired - probably in a need of a power-up, she thought with disgust - but she was determined to give him a piece of her mind. “I think you’re making a big mistake by refusing to join the Galactic Alliance. We’ve been isolated for so long - if we continue to keep ourselves cooped up on Tangea, all alone, we’ll stagnate.”

“You mean _you_ will,” Nova retorted. “The truth of the matter is that you want to visit other worlds. You’re bored with palace life, and you’re hoping if we join the Alliance we’ll need to go off-world more often and you’ll get to have a little excitement.”

Cerise was silent for a moment; he had come awfully close to the truth. Then she countered, “Sure, I’d like to leave the palace for awhile and explore new places, but there’s more to it than that. The galaxy is changing, and we can either choose to change with it or remain stuck in the past.”

“What’s wrong with the past?” her husband demanded. “We have a proud history, and many fine traditions going back hundreds of years. How can we preserve that if we become absorbed by some outside entity like the Galactic Alliance? We’ll lose what makes us unique.”

Cerise sneered. “Not all our traditions are worth preserving. We could learn many things from the other races.”

Nova frowned. “But... Cerise... They’re barbarians!” He kept his voice low, and glanced at the ambassadors, as if afraid they might overhear what he was saying. “They’re little more than talking animals! Have you even looked at them? They’re nothing like us - how could we learn from them?”

Disbelief crossed Cerise’s face. “Don’t you see how prejudiced and close-minded you are? How can you believe those things! The very fact that you’re so intolerant shows that you _do_ have a lot to learn from them.” She glared at him indignantly. “Where I come from, we’re always open to learning new things. Why, I couldn’t count how many times the Grounders have taught -”

“The _Grounders?_ ” His face was filled with shock, and in his horror he seemed to have forgotten to keep his voice low. “Now you’re speaking utter nonsense! Cerise, don’t you dare say this kind of thing around Mira. She’s very impressionable, and she might think...”

“You have no right to dictate what I can and can’t say to her!” By now the rest of the room was staring at them, but Cerise didn’t care.

“I’m merely trying ensure she isn’t confused by false ideas. I love you, Cerise, but you aren’t always the best influence.”

“So you’re saying I don’t know how to raise my own daughter?”

“She’s my daughter too - and no, that’s not what I’m saying. Don’t put words in my mouth! I just...” As the argument progressed, Nova had grown shakier and shakier, and finally his legs buckled. He clutched at the table, was unable to get a grip, and crumpled to the floor. What little strength he had left faded away, and his eyes fell shut.

“Reg!” Forgetting her anger, Cerise dropped to his side, and in an instant everyone was swarming around the pair as she cradled her husband’s head and tried to rouse him.

“Daddy? Daddy?” Mira’s voice was filled with fear and confusion. “Mommy, what’s wrong?” She grabbed her mother’s arm and clung to it fearfully.

“Out of the way, out of the way.” Angstrom tried to push through the bystanders. When the crowd didn’t part speedily enough, he ghosted through them and knelt beside the unconscious king. “What happened?”

“I don’t know,” sobbed Cerise. “He just collapsed.”

Angstrom nodded gravely.“I’ll get the doctor.”


	5. Chapter Four: Confrontations

Cerise paced across the cramped waiting room, pausing occasionally to glance at the door to the clinic and wring her hands. Mira sat in one of the chairs, staring quietly at her own hunched-up knees. The fear her mother was exuding had spread to her, and although she didn’t quite seem to understand what was wrong, it was obvious she was worried for her father.

The time dragged by at a painfully slow rate, and with each passing minute Cerise’s anxiety grew. She almost jumped when Angstrom entered, but quickly composed herself and shook her head regretfully when he looked at her questioningly. “There’s been no word from the doctor yet.”

Angstrom nodded. “Try not to worry. I’m sure the king will be fine, Your Highness - although, I have noticed he hasn’t seemed entirely well of late.” He lowered himself into one of the chairs. “The nobles and those dreadful outworlders have all been asking what’s wrong with him, so I’ve had to placate them with some story about the king being overworked.”

“But that’s the truth,” sighed Cerise. “He has been working too hard.”

Angstrom shrugged. “It’s only _part_ of the truth. We both know there’s more to it than that.” Cerise pursed her lips, knowing what he meant but not wanting to face the issue. “I’m sure you’re well aware of his trips to the power core.”

The queen cast a glance at her daughter and lowered her voice. “I’d prefer not to discuss this with Mira here. I don’t want her to know about the power ghosting.”

“A wise decision, Your Highness,” observed Angstrom dryly. “We wouldn’t want the princess to pick up bad habits.” He looked at her pointedly. “Do you know just how bad power ghosting can be?”

Cerise shifted awkwardly. “I’ve heard a few things, but I’m not sure how much of it is true.”

Flicking a speck of lint off his sleeve, Angstrom replied, “ _All_ of it is true. All those stories about people who power ghosted and ended up dead - they’re all true. I’ve been checking.” He stood up. “Our bodies aren’t capable of handling that much energy. We become dependant on it, and over time we begin to need greater and greater amounts to remain energised. Eventually it burns us out.” Cerise grew pale. Seeing her concern, Angstrom continued, “Fortunately, I don’t think the king has reached that level yet. But if he doesn’t stop, he will.”

Cerise nodded soberly. “I’ve told him I didn’t think this ghosting is a good idea, but he never listens to me.”

“In this case, he will have to listen if he values his life.”

Taking a deep breath, Cerise answered, “I’ll do my best to convince him.”

“Good.” Angstrom took a step away. “Now, I must get back to the palace. There are doubtlessly many things I need to attend to.”

Nodding, Cerise gave him a weak smile. “Thank you for stopping by, Chancellor. I appreciate your concern - and your advice.”

“It was nothing, Your Highness. I simply wish to help the king in any way I can,” he responded, turning to the wall and walking out.

Closing her eyes and sighing, Cerise dropped into the chair next to Mira. She reached her hand out and stroked the girl’s glossy hair, then cupped her cheek, drawing comfort from the chubby little face. _I don’t know what I’d do without you, Mira. You keep me sane in times like this._ As she continued to caress Mira’s face, she realised the girl’s cheeks were moist. “Are you all right, darling?”

Looking up at her tearfully, Mira asked, “What’s wrong with Daddy?”

“I’m not sure exactly, but the doctor will be here soon and he can tell us,” Cerise soothed, leaning Mira’s head against her side and slipping an arm around her. 

“Do you think Daddy’s angry with me?” the little girl whimpered.

“Why ever would he be?”

Mira sighed, nestling closer to her mother. “Because I talked to those aliens. He seemed cross about that.”

“Oh darling, don’t worry. I’m sure he’s not angry with you.” _He’s probably angry with me instead._ “Now just relax and stop worrying. Everything will be fine.” She kissed the top of Mira’s head, then slumped deeper into the chair. _Perhaps all this is_ my _fault. I shouldn’t have been pressuring Reg so much to join the Alliance - and I shouldn’t have fought with him at the banquet. That was probably what pushed him over the edge._

Despite these feelings of guilt, she still wished she could have convinced him to join the Alliance. All her life, she’d loved exploring and seeing new sights. One of the reasons she agreed to marry Reg was so she could leave the surface and observe life in the palace - a less than romantic reason, now that she thought about it, but back then she hadn’t cared much for romance. But now she was bored with her new life. It no longer held any excitement; instead it was filled with tedious duties, absurd rules, boring social events, and pointless traditions. Joining the Alliance would have added some much-needed interest to her life. Outsiders would visit more often, and Tangea would have to finally play a bigger role in galactic affairs. Perhaps she would even be able to leave the planet occasionally and explore other worlds. It was something she wanted desperately - but her husband’s refusal had shattered these hopes. _And now where does that leave me?_ she thought with a touch of bitterness. _Sitting here worrying about him because he almost killed himself, when I could be out among the stars?_ She sighed. _This is not the life I wanted._

“Look, Mommy, the doctor’s here!” Cerise glanced up, and her eyes fell upon the nervous young doctor who had just ghosted through the door (the purpose of the clinic door was to get patients in and out easily, thus the doctors usually ignored it when entering or exiting).

“How’s my husband?” Cerise demanded, springing to her feet.

Still looking apprehensive, the doctor bowed his head respectfully to the queen and answered with a cough, “He, er... He is stable, Your Highness, and I have no doubt he will make a full recovery... b-but...” The doctor squirmed. 

“But what?” Cerise frowned.

“Well...” It was clear he didn’t know how to approach the subject. “About his... er, power ghosting...”

Cerise sighed in irritation. “Doctor, I realise that is not normally a topic open to discussion in the palace, but you are quite free to talk about it now, so please get to the point.”

Nodding, the doctor finally spat out, “It’s imperative that he quits immediately.”

“So I’ve been told.” Cerise ran a hand through her hair and looked down. “I’ll try to convince him to stop, but I can’t promise anything.”

“Please understand, you _must_ get him to stop.” The doctor’s tone was deadly serious. “He’s very close to suffering a major breakdown. He won’t be able to handle the strain of the constant power increases and decreases much longer. They’re having a very negative effect on his health already - you can’t let it continue.”

Cerise bit her lip and shot a glance at Mira, making sure the girl couldn’t overhear what they were saying. _She has enough worries as it is._ “I’ll... I’ll do what I can.” _Why does everything have to be so difficult? I never wanted any of this._ “When will I be able to see him?”

“I’m not sure.” The doctor shrugged. “I’ll inform you as soon as he wakes up.”

Nodding, Cerise sank into the chair again. “Thank you, doctor. I think I’ll wait here. Please send for one of the servants and tell them to take Mira to her room.”

The little girl looked up. “But Mommy,” she protested, “I want to stay here!”

“It’s late, dear,” murmured her mother, closing her eyes. “You need to get some rest.”

“But I want to see Daddy!”

“You can see him tomorrow.”

Mira pouted. “Please...?”

“No, dear.” Cerise shook her head firmly. “Get some sleep.” _I wish I could. This is going to be a long night._

* * *

After being tucked into bed by one of the palace servants, Mira rolled onto her side and propped up her head with her arm. Even though it was late, she was still wide awake and had no desire to sleep. The day’s excitement hadn’t worn off yet.

Originally, she’d dreaded the banquet, thinking it would be like the many other dull parties her family had to attend, but the presence of off-worlders had livened things up greatly. Actually meeting several of them had proved even more thrilling, and she couldn’t shake away the images of Rhizome her mind had formed while listening to Ambassador Corm. _One day I’m going to go there_ , she decided, snuggling deeper under the covers as a cool breeze blew in from the balcony.

Unfortunately, the day had been marred by what happened to her father. She couldn’t quite understand what was going on, but she knew something was very wrong. _I hope Daddy’s all right._

* * *

Groaning, King Nova opened his eyes and looked around. His mind was still fuzzy, and it took him awhile to realise he was in the clinic. The first thing he noticed upon waking was how much his body ached. It felt as if he’d fallen from the palace’s highest spire and landed on the hard rocks below. To make matters worse, all his strength was gone - even lifting his hand seemed like an unbearable strain. What disturbed him most, however, was the complete absence of any sort of glow around his skin. It had waned in the past when he was low on energy, but it had never disappeared completely.

“Your Majesty?” He hadn’t realised there was a doctor standing beside his bed. “Are you awake?” Nova nodded wearily. “How do you feel?”

 _What a question to ask!_ “T-Terrible,” he gasped. _I need some energy. Right now._

“Don’t worry, you’re going to be fine,” reassured the doctor. “Your wife wants to see you. Is it all right if I let her in?”

 _Can’t you see I need energy, you fool? I can talk to my wife later. Take me to the core so I can power up!_ “Energy...”

The doctor shifted his gaze and mumbled apologetically, “I... I can’t give you that, Your Highness.”

With what little strength he had, Nova pulled himself to a sitting position. “Why not?”

“Your dependance on energy is what caused your collapse at the banquet.” Although he was nervous around the king, the doctor kept his voice firm. “It’s not good for you. You have to quit.” When he saw the scowl on Nova’s face, he quickly headed for the door. “I’ll bring your wife now...”

 _That fool doesn’t know what he’s talking about! I’m fine._ To prove this to himself, he pulled back the blanket and tried to step off the bed. His balance was off, and the muscles in his legs didn’t want to cooperate, but he managed to get one foot on the ground - before collapsing. It was as a struggling, cursing heap on the floor that his wife found him.

“What are you doing?” she exclaimed, kneeling down and helping him to his feet. He tried to take a step towards the door, but she took hold of his arm and gently pulled him back to the bed. “You need to rest.”

“I’m... fine,” he protested weakly.

“You know that’s not true, Reg.” Sighing, Cerise lowered herself onto the edge of the bed and gazed at him sternly. “We need to talk about this...”

Nova rolled his eyes. “That young quack has already talked to me. I don’t need to hear it from you too.”

“But Reg, _please_ ,” she begged, “you must listen. If you keep up this power ghosting, you’ll die.”

“What makes you so sure of that? I was handling it just fine until the banquet. I would have been fine then too if I’d gotten a chance to power up and if we hadn’t argued.” _I still need to power up... Why won’t they give me any energy?_

“No, you weren’t handling it.” Cerise shook her head. “It was wearing you down.”

“Wearing me down?” He snorted. “It’s the only thing keeping me going. Cerise, I _need_ the energy to do my job. Without it, the pressures overwhelm me. You remember what I was like during the first year of my reign - I was barely keeping up with all the work. I had no time for you.”

Cerise folded her arms. “What’s changed? After you started power ghosting, you suddenly took on a lot more work -”

“- because I can handle it now.”

“Really? Then why are you still so tired each day? Why are you always busy instead of spending time with Mira and I?” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Reg, the ghosting hasn’t made your problems go away - it’s only made them worse. You just don’t realise it because you’re so distracted by the thrills you get each time you power up.”

“That’s not true!” He sat up straight. “Yes, the feeling is invigorating, but that’s not why I do it. The power ghosting gives me the strength to accomplish things I never would have been able to otherwise. Look at all the things I’ve done for Tangea!” He gestured to the window, pointing at a half-finished city that floated outside. “Look at all the projects I’ve started. How many other kings have done as much in such a short space of time?”

Cerise didn’t open her eyes. “None of that will mean anything if you’re dead.”

“But I’m _fine_ ,” he insisted. “And even if something did happen to me, at least my legacy would live on in all the improvements I’ve made to our society.”

He could see Cerise was biting her tongue to keep from shooting make some angry retort. _Probably about the Galactic Alliance,_ he thought irritably. _She thinks joining would be an improvement to our society - she’s wrong, of course._

“Reg, can’t you see how foolish you’re being? You can handle your job fine without the energy - all you need to do is cut down on your workload a bit.” She sighed. “The problem is that you’ve become dependant on these power-ups. The longer you go on doing this, the harder it’ll be to function without them. And you’ll need to power up more and more frequently to satisfy your cravings.” Rising from the bed, she turned away. “Eventually it’ll kill you.” She reached the door. “Don’t let it get that far. _Please._ ” Looking over her shoulder, she gazed at him for a long moment. “I’m sorry, but I’m done talking about this. It’s obvious you’re too stubborn to listen to anything I have to say. I’ll see you tomorrow.” And with that she ghosted out the door. 

Nova stared after her for awhile, then shook his head and lay down again. He tried to fall asleep, but even when he closed his eyes and cleared his mind, sleep wouldn’t come. Unwelcome thoughts and feelings kept creeping in, exasperating him as he tried to rest. Although he’d denied it, Cerise had been uncomfortably close to the truth when she pointed out he was power ghosting primarily because it provided pleasure, and not because he had to. He wanted to believe he was doing it for the good of Tangea, but he was really doing it for himself. He’d struggled with his duties as king, and instead of trying to work out the problems, he’d taken the easy way out. What kind of ruler did that make him?

 _But I can’t stop now,_ he argued with himself, _I’ve gone too far - I have to continue. I can’t stop, so why not accept that and use the extra powers to benefit Tangea? Why try fighting it?_

On the other hand, there were dangers involved. Cerise said it would kill him - perhaps she was right. He had no wish to die.

 _I won’t die. I can handle it - I just need to be more careful. The rewards far outweigh the risks. They have no right to tell me to stop._ With his resolve strengthened, he closed his eyes again and was finally able to slip into a light sleep... until he felt something tugging at his arm.

“Daddy? Are you awake?”                                

“Mira?” Rubbing his eyes, he sat up and tried to peer into the darkness. At first he saw nothing, but as his vision improved he was able to make out a small silhouette at the side of the bed. “What are you are you doing here? You should be in bed.”

Mira hung her head sheepishly. “I snuck out. I wanted to see you.”

Normally he would have reprimanded her, but he felt touched by her concern and let the matter drop. “I’m glad you came.” Wrapping his arms around her, he picked the little girl up and settled her on his lap.

“Are you all right, Daddy?” Mira asked anxiously. “You fell down at the party. Are you sick?”

“I’m fine,” he assured her. “There’s no need to worry.”

“Good.” With a sigh of relief, Mira hugged her father. “I love you, Daddy.”

Nova patted her back. “I love you too.”

“I’m happy you’re okay,” beamed Mira, resting her head against his shoulder. “I was scared.”

King Nova winced slightly. Why did those words make him feel so guilty? Was it because he wasn’t quite as okay as he let on? Was it because he knew his life was in danger, and he wasn’t doing anything about it? _If... If something happened to me, what would that do to Mira? A girl her age shouldn’t have to deal with grief and loss._ As much as he hated to admit it, he knew he was being selfish by wanting to continue power ghosting. Why hadn’t he considered the impact it would have on his family?

 _But do I really have anything to worry about? I’m sure I can keep everything under control. All I need to do is be careful._ As long as he didn’t think about all the people who had died from power ghosting, this excuse almost made sense. He was fine... Today had just been a particularly stressful day. That’s why he’d passed out. Maybe the ghosting wasn’t the problem at all. Maybe everything was all right.

Or was it? As he stroked Mira’s hair, he could feel his hand trembling. He was so weak without the energy - did he really want to go on like this? How many more times would he collapse because he hadn’t powered up recently enough? How many more times would he have to put his wife and daughter through all this worrying? The feeling the energy gave him was incredible, there was no denying that - but was it worth it? Was it worth risking his life? And what about his family? He knew they were going through a lot of anxiety. Was it worth hurting Cerise and Mira for? _There’s no way I can answer yes to that. Nothing can justify causing them pain._

But maybe if he kept it under contr- no. No, he couldn’t keep finding excuses. Besides, the ghosting had gotten out of control long ago. What made him think he could keep it under control now? No, there was only one solution to the problem... but it would be painful. _It’ll be worth it._ He shut his eyes resolutely. _My family is worth it._

Concentrating as hard as he could, he sought out the mental presence of the woman he loved. He feared she might be asleep, but when he found her he sensed she was wide awake. Another feeling of guilt swept over him as he realised she was probably too sick with fear to sleep. Taking a deep breath, he sent out his thoughts to her. _Cerise?_

At first there was silence, then: _Reg? What do you want?_

 _I need to talk to you._ The link grew stronger, and Nova found himself looking at his wife as if she were in the room.

 _“About what?”_ She looked down, avoiding his gaze.

  _Cerise, I...”_ He didn’t know what to say. _“I’ve been wrong, and you were right. I need to stop this.”_

His wife raised her eyes hopefully. _“Really?”_ Doubt crossed her face. _“Are you sure about this? You - you’re not just going to change your mind again, are you?”_

 _“I’m sure. I’m really going to stop.”_ He smiled, then sighed. _“But I don’t think it’ll be easy. I’ll need your help.”_

She knelt by his side, tears shining in her eyes. _“Of course, Reg. You know you can depend on me. I’ll always be here for you. Always.”_

 _“Thank you.”_ If he could have, he would have reached out and clasped her hand. _“I love you.”_

 _“I love you, Reg.”_ She remained with him a little longer, then faded into nothingness, and he was able to drift into a peaceful sleep at last.


	6. Chapter Five: Descent

When King Nova had said it wouldn’t be easy to quit powering ghosting, neither he nor his wife knew just how true that statement was. First, there was the problem of who to assign the king’s duties to while he was recovering. Angstrom took on most of the work, but as he also had his own job to do, some of the duties had to be performed by Cerise and Lord Capella, Nova’s chief advisor. Cerise found herself being spread thin looking after her husband, helping Angstrom, and caring for her daughter. Then there was the press to deal with, who wanted to know what was wrong with the king.

Finally, there was Nova himself. At first, he’d been very motivated to quit power ghosting, and everything had gone well. Then the withdrawal started kicking in, and his energy cravings got much worse. On several occasions Cerise had to talk him out of going to the fusion core to power up again. She had to spend more and more time with him, giving support and encouragement as well as keeping his mind off his cravings. It wasn’t so bad at first, but as the days went by she found it increasingly wearisome. The worst part was she missed her family. It had been months since she last saw them. Unfortunately, her husband didn’t want her to leave while he was still unwell.

Which was why she was sneaking away that morning.

It wasn’t hard, really - she merely had to make it to the landing bay unseen, borrow one of the unguarded shuttles (there was an appalling lack of security in the palace, she mused), fly it down to the surface, spend some time with her family, then return before anyone noticed she was gone. Simple, right?

“Queen Nova!”

Or not... “Lord Angstrom!” Cerise jumped, not expecting to find Angstrom in the launch bay. “W-What are you doing here?”

Angstrom seemed to flinch. “I was just... Well, I needed to... Excuse me, but why are _you_ here, Your Highness?”

“I... uh...” She searched for an excuse, but didn’t want to lie. “Can you keep a secret?”

“Certainly,” replied Angstrom, relaxing.

Cerise smiled weakly. “Good. You see, I’m... Well, uh... I’m slipping away to the surface for awhile.” She couldn’t help but be amused at the look of disgust that crossed his face. “Yes, the surface. I want to see my family. I know I probably shouldn’t do this, but I really need to get away for awhile. Please don’t tell anyone - my husband would be furious if he found out.”

“Have no fear, Your Majesty,” assured Angstrom. “The King will never hear a word of this. I can guarantee it.”

“Thank you.” Letting out a deep breath she’d held in while waiting for his answer, Cerise hurried away. “If my husband asks where I am, just tell him I’m busy and will be back soon.”

* * *

 _At least that gets rid of her,_ observed Angstrom with satisfaction as he watched the shuttle leave. _One less variable to worry about._ Reclining against the wall, he checked the time. It was a few minutes until the ship he was waiting for would arrive. His hands shook slightly as he thought about it. Today was the day he had been thinking about for so long, the day he’d been planning ever since he’d decided Tangea needed a better king. Even though everything was going well so far, he couldn’t help but feel nervous. Perhaps it was because of the risks involved. If anyone ever found out, he was as good as dead. Or perhaps it was because he was planning the murder of his friend... His best friend. _No,_ he quickly shook that thought away, _it’s just the risks. Those are what are bothering me._ He couldn’t afford to think otherwise. If he allowed himself to dwell too long on what he was about to do to King Nova, he knew he wouldn’t be able to go through with it.

Oh, there were others he’d killed in the past to further his career - even his own father. But none of them were people he cared much for. Nova was different. He _liked_ Nova - or at least he used to. Envy and ambition had gradually crowded out his feelings of friendship, but he still didn’t want to see Nova dead. It was necessary, though. Tangea depended on it. Nova was too weak to be king - first he’d married a filthy surface-dweller who was sowing false ideas in the minds of her husband and daughter, then he’d become addicted to energy, and now he was recovering from a breakdown which almost killed him. The king should be someone strong, someone who knew how to lead. Most importantly, the king had to be someone who would honour Tangea’s history. Even if Nova resisted his wife’s efforts to persuade him to join the Galactic Alliance, Angstrom had no doubt Mira would institute the changes Cerise wanted when she was queen. Changes were something Tangea could do without. _We’ve lived this way for hundreds of years._ Angstrom swept his eyes over the city proudly. _Why should we let our heritage be destroyed by some rash young queen following her mother’s foolish advice?_ No, there was only one solution. Nova must be pushed off the throne before he or his daughter brought any harm to Tangea. He’d been avoiding this course of action for a long time, but now he knew there was no alternative.

And the fact that he liked the idea of becoming king totally had nothing to do with it.

The low whine of an engine alerted him to the fact that a ship was approaching. He took a step back from the landing bay and held a hand over his face to keep away the dust stirred up by the ship as it pulled into the hangar. Once it settled to a stop, the hatch swung open and four men stepped out. They were dressed in dark jackets and knee-high rubber boots which echoed through the bay as they strode forward. It was clear from a glance they meant business.

“We’re here.” One of the men approached Angstrom while the others halted several metres away. “Is everything ready?”

Angstrom found himself backing away a few steps, intimidated by their presence. Not for the first time he wondered if it would have been better to use the guards in his employ for the job instead of hiring professionals. However, the guards were notoriously useless, and there was no margin for error in a situation like this. “Not yet. The king is with his daughter right now. Later, when he is alone, it will be time.”

The leader of the group shrugged. “We could take out the princess as well, if you want.”

“I think not. You are to wait until the king is alone, and then you will kill him and him only. I see no reason for anyone else to die.”

* * *

The surface... There was something timeless about it. Even though she’d been away for months, Cerise couldn’t discern any change in the lush landscape. Everything was as verdant and lovely as ever. As she walked away from the ship, she laughed joyfully at the wind rustling through the trees and ruffling her hair. The breeze brought with it the scent of flowers and wet earth, both delightfully refreshing after spending so much time in the stuffy palace.

Cerise paused for a moment to kick off her shoes, giggling like a small child when she felt the dew-soaked soil beneath her feet. Without a second thought, she took off across the forest, running and laughing as she made her way towards the buildings she could see in the distance.

Several minutes later, she arrived at a rickety wooden fence and collapsed against one of the posts, panting as she caught her breath. Despite her exhaustion, her mouth was stretched into a face-splitting smile, and she couldn’t stop giggling. _It’s so good to be home!_ Until now, she’d had no idea how much she missed it.

Once she’d recovered sufficiently, she leapt over the fence and strolled through the field of blue kaeruli flowers, inhaling deeply as the sweet scent drifted past. Coming across a plant with blossoms of a particularly vibrant hue, she gently picked them off the shrub and tucked them into her hair.

At last, she reached a series of cottages and barns - the dwelling place of her family. “Mother! Father!” she called.

The door to one of the cottages was flung open. “Cerise? Is that you?”

“Mother!” Cerise rushed through the door and wrapped her arms around the older woman standing in the doorway. “I’ve missed you.” 

* * *

King Nova rested his elbows on his desk, sighing as he gazed at the pile of papers that lay before him. Although he was not well enough yet to take on his full workload again, Cerise had suggested he continue handling minor matters to keep himself busy. Unfortunately, it was keeping him a little too busy. _Cosmos, why is there always so much paperwork?_ He rubbed his temples. The work wasn’t quite as hard to handle as it was in the past, when he was still new at being king, but there still seemed to be an excessive amount of it.

 _I really must talk to Angstrom about cutting down my workload._ As much as he hated to admit it, his wife had a point when she railed against the number of inane traditions and duties they were expected to attend to. Much of it was completely unnecessary, and could be done away with. However, when he’d mentioned this to Angstrom once before, he’d received such a disapproving glare that he’d dropped the subject immediately. His royal chancellor seemed to consider the notion of abolishing age-old traditions, however pointless they were, as heresy.

Nova leaned back in the chair, deciding to put off the work a little longer. He smiled as the sound of a child’s voice reached his ears. Mira was playing with her dolls in the other room, enjoying what time she had left before her afternoon etiquette class started. Soon Nova would have to call one of the servants to pick up Mira and take her there. Normally Cerise took Mira to the classes, but his wife had been strangely absent all morning.

The prospect of handling Mira on his own did not fill Nova with joy. She always kicked up a fuss when it was time for school, and Cerise seemed to be the only one who could manage her tantrums. Ironically, it was probably Cerise’s fault that Mira was so difficult, he thought. _Her wild, rebellious ways are rubbing off on Mira._ Nova massaged his head again. _I can see Mira’s going to take a lot of work to rein in._

When he thought about all the trials and burdens he was sure to face in the future, it seemed too daunting to deal with. _This would be so much easier if I had extra energy to keep me going. Just a little... That wouldn’t hurt, would it? If I just - No! I must stop thinking like this!_ The desire for energy was still so strong. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t put it out of his mind.

Fortunately, a distraction came in the form of voices emanating from the other room. It sounded as if his wife had returned from wherever she’d been. Listening intently, he was able to make out her voice and Mira’s.

“Is your father around, sweetheart?”

“No, Mommy. He’s in his office.”

“Good. I’ve got something to show you, Mira. I got them from the surface.”

 _WHAT? The surface?_ Nova leapt from his chair and pressed himself against the wall, straining to hear what his wife was saying.

“Oh, Mommy, they’re lovely!” came Mira’s muffled voice.

“Those are kaeruli flowers. They were growing in my family’s field.”

“Did you go to the surface today, Mommy?”

“Yes, I did, but don’t tell Daddy. He wouldn’t understand.”

“I understand _perfectly._ ” King Nova pushed through the wall and entered the room. “It’s quite simple, really. You’ve been acting impulsive and foolish, as usual!”

Cerise gulped. “Reg, I-I didn’t... I mean, I know you’re... Look, I’m sorry I went without asking, but -”

Nova held up his hand to silence her and looked down at Mira. “It’s time for you to go to school, young lady. Tell one of the guards to escort you there.”

“But Daddy,” the girl whined. “Do I have to?”

“Yes!”

Casting a glare at her father, Mira trudged sulkily out the room. Once she was gone, Nova turned back to his wife. “Why did you go to the surface without my permission?”

“I wanted to see my family. Is that so wrong?” Cerise folded her arms defiantly. “I didn’t want to sneak away, but you wouldn’t let me go so I had no choice.”

“I need you here, Cerise,” asserted Nova. “I need your support. You agreed to give me that, in case you’ve forgotten.”

She snorted. “How _could_ I forget? I’ve been at your side constantly for over three months. Do you have any idea how draining that is?”

“So that entitles you to just run off without telling anyone?” The frown on his face deepened. “Think about the example you’re setting for Mira! I fear you’re having a bad influence on her.”

“A bad influence?” Cerise uttered a hollow laugh. “What about the example _you’re_ setting? I’ve had to work very hard to prevent her from finding out about the power ghosting!”

“At least I’ve _stopped_. You still act like a reckless, uncivilised fool sometimes.”

Her lips trembling, Cerise retorted, “I just wanted to see my family! I was tired of being stuck here. Why do you have to make such a fuss about it?” 

“You’re the queen of Tangea!” Nova shook his head in disappointment. “You need to start acting like one! This is not how royalty behaves!”

“But I’m _not_ royalty,” she insisted, her nose wrinkling as she tried to keep from tearing up. “I’m just a woman who lived a quiet life on the surface, helping her family run a farm, until she met a prince who wanted to marry her. I may be the queen, but that doesn’t make me royalty.” Wiping her eyes, she continued, “I’m not like you or anyone else here. I wasn’t born into this life. It’s totally different to everything I’m used to. Even after seven years, I still don’t understand this world. It’s not my home; it’ll never be.” She looked towards the window. “The surface is my home.”

“Then why are you here?” sighed Nova, exasperated. “If you hate this place, why don’t you just leave? Why stay?”

“Oh, Reg,” she choked, “I have you and Mira here. Why would I leave?” Then her expression darkened. “Or do you _want_ me to leave? Are you tired of my ‘impulsive and foolish’ ways and want to get rid of me? I know I’ll never fit your idea of what a queen should be, so perhaps it would be easier if I was gone!”

“I never said I wanted you to go! I just don’t understand why you stay here if you hate it.” He folded his arms. “Why did you ever agree to marry me if this life is so deplorable?”

A part of him hoped she would answer ‘because I love you,’ and for a moment it looked as if that was exactly what she would say, but then she furrowed her brow and said, “I didn’t know what it was like back then. Perhaps I would have answered you differently if I had known.”

King Nova paled at the thought, but his glare only grew worse. “Well, it’s not too late to change your mind, you know. Go if you want to! Leave! Let’s finally be done with all this arguing. If you really do hate it here, you can go back to the surface! I won’t stop you.”

“ _Fine._ ” Cerise blinked back her tears. “I’ll go! I don’t want to be here, and it’s clear you don’t want me here!” She flung open one of the closets and began pulling things out. “I have a family who wants me, and a home I want. I don’t need _you._ ” Hastily stuffing the items she’d gathered into a satchel, she pushed past her husband and made for the wall. “I’m going back to my life. My _real_ life. Find someone else to play the role of fairytale queen.”

“Cerise, wait!” Nova panicked, realising she was serious. “You can’t do this! What about us? What about...” Before he could finish, she had walked out. “...Mira?” He slumped into a chair.


	7. Chapter Six: Despair

_Mira..._ As Cerise strode angrily down the hall, heading for the landing bay, she suddenly remembered her daughter. _I can’t take her with me - she’s the princess. I have to leave without her._ Fresh tears flooded down her face. There was so much she would never see again if she left... Would Mira be one of those things? “Why am I doing this?” the queen sobbed to herself. Was life at the palace really so bad that she had to leave?

“Yes,” she tried to convince herself, wiping her eyes. _I’ve been miserable here. But I was always happy on the surface. That’s where I belong._ Her family was there, and all her friends. She’d never been able to make any friends at the palace; everyone looked down on her. “I wasn’t meant to be a queen. I’m just a farm girl.”

Reaching a bend in the corridor, she leaned against the wall for a moment to dry her eyes, then continued walking.

* * *

King Nova gripped the armrests of his chair, still trying to deal with what had just happened. A simple argument had resulted in his wife leaving. _Leaving._ And he doubted she had any intention of coming back. _What have I done?_ He dropped his head into his hands. _Did I drive her away?_ _How could I have let this happen?_ For the first time in months, he gave no thought to his energy cravings or his own problems. He just wanted Cerise to come back.

* * *

When she entered the landing bay, Cerise took a deep breath and gazed around the palace one last time, knowing she would probably never return. There was a strange ship parked near the shuttles, but she was too caught up in her emotions to notice. Doubts filled her mind, and she felt herself shaking as she took a hesitant step towards one of the shuttles. _Am I doing the right thing? What about Reg?_ Her heart ached. _How will he cope with this? He’s been through so much already._ But hadn’t he been the one to suggest she leave? He obviously didn’t want her to be there anymore. _And we never seem to do anything but fight... This is probably all for the best. He and I are too different - we aren’t suited for each other._ She took another step toward _s_ the shuttle.   

But what about Mira? If she left, who would look after her daughter? Cerise’s mouth twisted with sadness, but she continued walking. _Mira will be fine... We have an army of servants here who can care for her._ But what kind of a life was that for a girl? She would grow up without a mother.

 _She’ll be... She’ll be fi- Oh, what am I saying? What am I_ doing _?_ Falling against the side of the shuttle, she pressed her hands on the hull while her body was wracked with sobs. _I’m abandoning my husband and daughter because I don’t like the palace! I can’t do that!_

But, she found herself arguing, why should she stay if she was unhappy? Wouldn’t it be better to go home to her family?

 _Reg and Mira_ are _my family. And... And..._ She gulped as she struggled with the thought. _And my home is with them, no matter what. How could I even think of leaving them?_ It all seemed so selfish now. _I’ve lived in the palace for seven years. I may not like it here, but I can try to change things for the better, and I can be happy if I have my family with me. I’ll never be happy if I’m away from them._ She flung down her bag. _I can’t leave. This is my home now._

* * *

There was paperwork to do, but Nova remained rooted to his chair. He couldn’t focus his mind on anything except Cerise, and all the things he could have done differently... All the ways he could have stopped her from leaving. _She’s probably gone now_. _Perhaps she’s even arrived at the surface._ Whatever the case, she was out of his life.

And he would have given anything to change that.

A knock on the wall roused him from the chair. “Come in,” he called, straightening his coat and trying to look as presentable as he could. His optimistic side hoped that Cerise had returned, but he knew it was most likely just some member of the royal court stopping to deliver more paperwork.

To his surprise, four men clad in black entered. Before he had time to react, one of them raised a pistol and fired, sending him reeling across the room. He fell to the floor, clutching his side where the blast had hit him. Pain coursed through his body, and he couldn’t concentrate enough to ghost through the floor to safety.

The men advanced towards him, their leader smiling as he levelled the gun at the king’s head. “Goodbye, Your Majesty.” However, just as he was about to pull the trigger, the sound of someone ghosting through the wall caused him to whip around.

“Reg, I -” Cerise never had a chance to finish her sentence, for a laser blast collided with her chest, and with a scream she toppled to the floor.

“What have you done?” one of the men whispered frantically. “We were only supposed to kill the king!”

“What difference does it make?” the leader shrugged. “We can still -” Suddenly, an alarm began blaring, drowning out his words. “Craters,” he cursed. “The palace sensors must have detected the laser shots! We have to get out of here!”

The men scrambled past the motionless form of the queen, one of them half-heartedly firing at Nova again, but missing in his haste to escape. Within seconds they were gone, and the king was left to crawl painfully across the floor to his wife.

“Cerise,” he moaned, cradling her head. _Why did she come back?_ Feeling her neck, he was relieved to find she still had a pulse. “Please, Cerise, hang on. Help will come. Please hang on.”

A few seconds later, one of the palace guards entered. “Your Majesty!” he gasped, seeing the king on the floor with Cerise. “There was a scream - what happened?”

“Get help,” Nova ordered with what little strength he had left. “Bring the... the doctor.”

* * *

When the alarm had gone off, the children in the etiquette class had grown excited, thinking perhaps they would be let off school early, but the teacher insisted they continue the lesson. Mira was far from pleased, and yawned loudly while the teacher expounded on proper table manners. Opening her hand, she gazed at the blue flowers her mother had given her. The petals glistened in the light, their appearance not unlike that of satin. Mira brought them to her nose and breathed in the sweet fragrance they exuded, then slipped them into her pocket.

“Excuse me, Princess.” She was startled to find Lord Capella had entered and was standing beside her. He put his hand on her shoulder. “You must come with me at once.”

“W-Why?” Her heart began pounding. _Did I do something bad?_

The noble sighed, and the look of sadness on his face scared her. “Your parents are hurt. You need to go to them.”

“Hurt?” She felt her throat close up and her face seemed to go hot and cold at the same time. Memories of her father’s breakdown at the banquet flashed to the forefront of her mind.

“Come.” Lord Capella gently took her arm and led her past the rows of gawking children, guiding her out into the hall. A group of guards met them and took up positions on all sides. “They’re here to protect you,” explained Capella, seeing Mira’s frightened expression. “We can’t let anything happen to you, Princess.”

The party made their way across the hall and up several flights of steps, finally reaching the clinic. The guards waited outside, while Capella ushered Mira into the waiting room. A doctor rushed to meet them, taking Capella aside and whispering something to him which Mira couldn’t hear. The lord grew even paler and threw a glance at Mira, then said something to the doctor, who nodded.

“What’s going on?” whimpered Mira, close to tears. “Where are Mommy and Daddy?”

Capella took a deep breath. “Come with me. The doctor says we can go to them.”

“Are they all right?” the girl asked, following him through the wall and into the operating room. She squealed in fear when she saw her mother lying on a table surrounded by doctors, while her father was on a different table having his side bandaged. “Daddy!” Running to Nova, she flung her arms around him and began to cry. “What’s wrong with you and Mommy?”

Her father sighed. “We were shot.” He looked towards the chief doctor and called him over. “Doctor, please, tell me how my wife is. Will she be all right?”

The doctor exchanged a look with Lord Capella and shook his head. “She’s dying. There’s nothing we can do.”

“What? No!” King Nova pushed aside the doctor treating him and leapt to his feet. “She _must_ be all right!”

“Her injuries are too severe - we’re barely keeping her alive as it is.”

“No! I can’t lose her!” Nova clutched the doctor’s jacket. “Save her!”

“Your Majesty,” consoled Capella, pulling him away, “they’ve done all they can. It just isn’t enough.”

Mira looked up at the three men anxiously. “What’s wrong with Mommy?” When they didn’t answer her, she ran to the other table and pushed through the crowd of doctors. Leaning on Capella’s shoulder, King Nova hobbled after her.

Cerise’s skin was drained of colour, and a wide hole marked her chest where the laser had hit her. The flesh was blackened and burnt around the edges, with a little blood smeared over it. Her eyes were closed, and it would have seemed that she was dead already if they hadn’t flickered open when Mira clasped her hand.

“Mommy!” sobbed the little girl. Tears streamed down her face, and she gripped her mother’s hand with all her strength, as if that might keep her from slipping away.

Nova knelt beside her. “Cerise,” he choked. “Oh, Cerise! You came back... Now I wish you hadn’t... This shouldn’t have happened to you! Oh, Cerise...”

The woman looked up at her husband and daughter, and her trembling lips broke into a faint smile. “I-I love... I lo-” And then her eyes closed, and she grew still.

“Mommy!” This time Mira screamed the words. “Mommy!” The doctors had to pull her away, kicking and sobbing, while one of them covered Cerise with a sheet. Nova just stood watching dumbly.

* * *

“You fools! You killed the queen and you left the king alive!” Angstrom waved his arms at the group of assassins. “How could you be so utterly incompetent?”

“We would have succeeded if the queen hadn’t entered,” insisted the leader. “If you wish, we can try again...”

Angstrom shook his head. “No. You must leave before security finds you. I can’t keep them off your scent much longer. Just _go.”_

“What about our money?” one of the other assassins asked.

“Go! I refuse to pay for your failures!” Angstrom folded his arms, and the group reluctantly heeded his order. As they boarded their ship, a relieved smile spread across Angstrom’s face. _At least I won’t have to worry about them any longer._ There was no way he could risk the assassins being captured. He knew they would spill everything to the authorities to prevent being executed if that happened. Fortunately, he had no need to fear that scenario.

A few minutes after clearing the launch bay, the assassins’ ship mysteriously exploded, and the burning wreckage plummeted into river below.

* * *

The funeral was held a few days after Cerise’s death. It was a simple affair, for Nova suspected she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. The royal court gathered in the one of the halls, wearing mourning clothes - Cerise had not been popular among them, but tradition and common decency demanded they show her the proper respect, even after her death - and several of the lords made speeches in her honour. King Nova stood near the podium, his head bowed and his hands shaking as he tried to retain his composure, while Mira stood at his side.

The little girl had barely said a word to anyone that day, or on any of the other days following her mother’s death. Tears glistened in her eyes, and she felt a strange numbness that seemed to paralyse her thoughts and emotions. She was six - quite old enough to understand death - yet she still couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that her mother was gone. Every time she thought about it, her brain seemed to shut down, and she had to quickly think of something else. Although she didn’t know it, her father felt much the same.

After the funeral, Cerise’s body was cremated, and King Nova left to scatter the ashes on the surface. Mira was taken back to her room by one of the servants, and she took up a position by the window, wondering when her father would return. The surface looked especially beautiful this time of year - everything was in bloom, and the normally green forests were now a blur of colours. Unconsciously, Mira’s hand slipped into the pocket of her dress, and she fingered the now dried blossoms her mother had given her. Their scent was gone, and they’d faded to a dull brown, but she didn’t want to throw them out. Those flowers were the last thing her mother would ever give her.

She sniffed, and her lips quivered. Every time she thought of her mother, a dull ache welled up in her heart. Looking out the window, she tried to distract herself with the sight of the surface. But the ache only increased, and her throat tightened as she thought of the times her mother had talked about taking her to see the surface. That would never happen now. They’d never be able to visit the surface together... or do anything else together.

The tears finally spilled down her face, and she could only stand by the window a moment longer before being overwhelmed and running to her bed. The pillow drowned out her sobs as she buried her head into it, but nothing could ease the pain.

By the time her father returned, she was out of tears, and simply lay face-down on the bed, exhausted. King Nova sat down beside her and began stroking her back. “It’s going to be all right, Mira,” he tried to soothe her. “It’ll be all right.”

“How?” whimpered Mira, not bothering to look up. It all felt so hopeless... as if there was no point to anything anymore. How could anything matter now that her mother was gone? _I’ll never be happy again,_ she thought resignedly.

“I... I don’t know,” admitted Nova. “You just have to trust that things will be.”

“But Mommy’s gone.” The girl began to cry again.

Nova pulled her up gently and hugged her. “It _will_ be all right, Mira,” he insisted. “I promise things will get better. And when they do, I’ll make sure you never have to go through this again. I won’t let anything hurt you.” Leaning forward, he kissed her. “I’ll keep you safe.”

Mira nodded tearfully, hoping what her father said was true, and clung to him.


	8. Chapter Seven: Thirsting for Adventure

When a tragedy occurs, it seems hard to think life will ever be the same again, and indeed it usually isn’t, but it does go on. Eventually a new way of life is formed, and one grows accustomed to the loss, however much it may still hurt. Over time, Mira and her father were able to establish some degree of normality to their lives, and grief gave way to reluctant acceptance.

King Nova returned to the throne, finally recovered from his power ghosting ordeal, though the cravings still persisted, and Mira was handed over to the care of servants, teachers, and sympathetic ladies of the court, all of whom did their best to raise her. None could adequately fill the place of her dead mother, however.

Without Cerise to keep her in check, the young girl’s naturally stubborn, headstrong personality was allowed to run wild, and even King Nova found her difficult to control. When she began getting into dangerous situations, however, he finally took a firm stand, for he was determined to keep her safe now that she was all he had left, and he refused to let her roam the palace without supervision, much to Mira’s annoyance.

The girl ended up spending most of her time on her balcony, gazing out at the surface below longingly. Now that her mother was gone, her desire to visit it was even stronger, for she wanted to find out as much as she could about the world Cerise was from. Perhaps that way she could learn more about her mother. It pained her that she knew so little about her - the six years they’d spent together wasn’t nearly long enough to truly become acquainted with the woman. Oh, she knew a good deal of what her mother’s views had been, and even shared them, but she could remember very little of what her mother had been like as a person. Sometimes she considered asking her father, but whenever they spoke to each other they seemed to end up arguing, so she never got the opportunity.

She was thirteen now - old enough to be treated as a young woman - but she still felt stifled by her father. He disapproved of her interest in the outside world, and always denied her requests to leave the palace. Whenever she talked about the surface, he became annoyed and tried to shift the subject to royal matters, which she had no interest in. Their relationship was shaky on the best of days, and she often wished there was someone in the palace who understood her. _Mother would have,_ she sighed. _If only I could find someone else who would._ There was little chance of that, however - everyone else at the palace was either just as bad as her father or worse. It was a very lonely place.

“Mira?”

The young princess turned around. Her father had stepped onto the balcony, and he was looking at her questioningly. “Yes, Daddy?”

“You said you wanted to come with me to the loading port to watch the arrival of the cargo ship, didn’t you?” he said. “I’m heading down there now, so if you want to come you’d better do so.”

Mira nodded. “I’m coming, Daddy.” The Tangeans did very little trade with other worlds, but occasionally they sent out a freighter to some of the few planets they had trade agreements with, and Mira always liked to be present when the ship returned with its foreign cargo. She would watch the unloading and talk to the crew, trying to glean as much as she could about the worlds they’d visited. Her father didn’t approve of her interest in the outside universe, but he took her with him every time he went to oversee the unloading.

They left the balcony and made their way through the twisting halls until they reached the crowded bay the freighter was parked in. People bustled back and forth as crates of cargo were unloaded and transported to the palace storerooms, and it was hard to hear anything above the mix of voices, shouts, and rattling boxes. Exotic smells filled the room, coming from the cargo, and Mira inhaled deeply in an attempt to take them all in.

“I’m going to talk to the ship’s captain,” King Nova told his daughter, waving his hand to indicate she could join the crowd and do what she wished. “Try to stay out of trouble.”

“Of course, Daddy.” Mira gave a brief nod, then dashed towards the back of the ship so she could peek inside. The hatch was open, forming a ramp between the ground and the interior of the freighter, and men were going in and out with boxes in their arms. When Mira peered through the open hatch, she saw rows and rows of crates stacked alongside each wall, some stacks so high they reached the ship’s ceiling.

After she’d satisfied her curiosity about the interior, she decided to seek out a member of the crew to talk to. A quick scan of the room brought her attention to three men sitting in a corner, enjoying some lunch while they rested from the unloading. She approached them shyly and settled on an empty box that lay nearby. “Hi. I’m Mira.”

The men glanced in her direction, and one waved. “Good morning, Princess.”

She smiled and edged the box closer to the group. “Hello - welcome back to Tangea.”

“It’s good to be back.” The crewman took a sip of his drink. “Sweet Mother of Venus, it’s hard to believe we’ve been away for four months. These trips take too blasted long.”

 _Sweet Mother of Venus?_ The phrase was unfamiliar. She suspected it was probably one of those alien curses her father would rather she didn’t hear. Fortunately, he wasn’t around. “What planets did you visit?” the girl asked excitedly.

“Our first stop was Verdentia, then we picked up some fusion crystals from Bathyos, and finally we visited Jo-Ad to buy food.” Reaching into his lunch box, the crewman handed her something. “Here, try this - it’s a bunzel muffin.” 

Mira took the muffin and sniffed it curiously. It smelled good, so she took a bite - then shoved the whole thing into her mouth when she realised how tasty it was. “Thanks,” she mumbled while chewing. _How come our food never tastes this good?_ After swallowing, she wiped the crumbs from her lips and asked, “What’s the latest galactic news?”

The crewman frowned thoughtfully. “Well, we didn’t hear much news on Verdentia or Bathyos, but on Jo-Ad they were all talking about the Space Rangers.”

“Space Rangers?” Mira leaned forward. “Who are they?”

“You don’t know who the Space Rangers are?” one of the other crewmen asked incredulously.

The first man glared at his friend. “This is the palace - you know they don’t talk about that sort of thing much here. Why should she have heard of them?” He turned to Mira. “The Space Rangers are the Galactic Alliance’s crime-fighting force. They patrol Alliance space and take down criminals. One of those Rangers - Buzz Lightyear - is pretty well-known, and everyone was talking about him on Jo-Ad when we were there.”

“Why?” _Space Rangers - they sound cool. I wonder if they get to visit lots of different planets and have exciting adventures?_

“Apparently he and his partner recently foiled another Zurg plot,” the crewman shrugged, downing the last of his drink. “Well, it’s been nice chatting to you, Princess, but we’ve got to get back to work.”

“Wait,” Mira stopped him as he was about to get up. “Who’s Zurg?”

“Who’s Zurg?” The man laughed. “Wow, you really don’t get much news here, do you? Evil Emperor Zurg is a galactic despot on a quest to conquer the universe. He and the Space Rangers regularly come to blows, but so far the Rangers have always won in the end. Lightyear’s made quite a name for himself thwarting the emperor’s schemes.”

As the crewmen walked away, returning to their work, Mira let out a sigh. _I guess there’s a lot I don’t know._ It was disheartening to think about all the things going on in the universe that she would never hear about, all the places she’d never see, and all the people she’d never meet. _No, I_ will _see them,_ she decided. _One day I’m going to leave this place and travel the galaxy._

* * *

After the unloading was over, Mira and her father left the bay and returned to their room. “Did you enjoy yourself?” King Nova asked off-handedly, lowering himself into a chair and taking up a sheaf of paperwork.

“Yes.” Mira’s red ponytail bobbed up and down. “One of the crew gave me a strange muffin from Jo-Ad, and told me about these people called the Space Rangers! Have you heard of them?”

The king sighed. “Mira, no questions, please - I have work to do.” He sank his face deeper into the papers. “And yes, I have heard of those space monkeys, and believe me, they are hardly worth talking about.”

Ignoring his plea for silence, Mira rested her elbows on the side of his chair and asked, “Have you ever heard of Evil Emperor Zurg? He sounds nasty.” She giggled. “And have you ever heard of Buzz Lightyear?”

“Mira, please, now is not the time,” groaned her father. “In fact, there is _never_  a time to bother me with questions about those outworlders. We both have far more important things to focus our thoughts on.”

“But I want to know more about them,” she whined.

“Ask someone else.”

Folding her arms, Mira let out a frustrated breath. “No one ever tells me anything! There’s all this stuff I don’t know about, and I want to know it, but everyone just ignores me!”

Her father rolled his eyes. “Perhaps it’s a sign you’re not meant to know these things, and should instead be learning how to manage the palace. One day you’ll be queen, you know, and a knowledge of galactic politics will be far less useful than a knowledge of Tangean politics.”

“But I don’t care about Tangea! It’s boring here,” pouted Mira. “It’s the rest of the galaxy that interests me.”

Putting down his papers, the king rose from his chair and guided Mira to the window. “Look out there,” he told her. “Look at our beautiful planet. Does it look boring to you? My girl, is there any way you can gaze at our world and not feel a love and awe for it?”

“But that’s the surface,” she squirmed. “It’s different - and you never let me go there, so I have to stay at this boring palace.” Frowning at him, she gestured to the lush landscape outside. “If it’s so beautiful, why _can’t_ I go there? Why won’t you let me visit it?”

“Oh, Mira,” sighed Nova. “You know it’s dangerous down there. I can’t risk taking you - you might get hurt.”

“ _Please_ , Daddy,” she begged. “Can’t I go just once?” In a pathetic tone she added, “Maybe it would make me appreciate Tangea more...”

 _She’s a manipulative little thing,_ thought Nova with amusement. “I still don’t think it’s a good idea.” He tried to sound firm, but already he was weakening.

“Please...?”

“No, I told yo-” _Oh, cosmos, I hate it when she gives me that look!_ He flinched at the two wide eyes staring pleadingly into his own. “All right, _fine._ ” Taking a deep breath, he continued, “But we’ll go to one of the towns, not the jungle, and you must promise me you’ll stay out of danger.”

Mira cheered and leapt into the air, then quickly composed herself and answered sweetly, “Of course, Daddy.” She dropped into one of the chairs. “Oh, this is going to be great! We’ll get to see all the plants and animals... And I can finally meet Mommy’s family and visit her home and see all the places she used to spend time at!” She continued to chatter on excitedly, but her father was no longer listening.

 _I... I don’t want to go back there. I don’t want to visit her old home._ The memories were still too painful, even after all these years. His hands trembled imperceptibly. On only two occasions had he ever been to Cerise’s home, but both visits held strong memories he didn’t want to be reminded of.

The first time had been during an inspection of the surface’s agricultural regions - it was then that he had met Cerise - and the second was when he asked her to marry him. Before Cerise’s death, he’d looked back fondly on those memories. But now they only dredged up agonizing emotions. “Mira,” he said slowly, “I think it would be best if we didn’t visit your mother’s farm.”

The girl paused in mid-ramble. “What?” Her eyes widened in surprise. “But why?”

“I have my reasons,” was his only answer.

“But Daddy,” Mira begged, “I want to go there! Why can’t I?”

“ _You_ may want to go there, but I don’t.” King Nova folded his arms. “We can still go to the surface, but not there.”

Unconsciously mirroring her father’s pose, Mira folded her arms as well. “That’s not fair!”

“The matter is not open for debate, Mira.” To emphasize his point, the king picked up the paperwork he’d lain aside and began studying it again.

“But -”

“Either you accept my conditions, or we don’t go to the surface at all,” he interrupted calmly.

“Ugh!” Mira jumped up from her chair. “You’re horrible! Every time I think you’re going to do something nice, you spoil it by adding lots of stupid restrictions!”

Lowering the papers an inch, her father glared at her. “There’s no need to take that tone, my girl.”

“Oh, shut up,” she growled in reply. “I hate you!” And with that she stormed out the room.

“Well, if you’re going to have an attitude like that, then I see no reason to take you to the surface at _all_ ,” Nova called after her.


	9. Chapter Eight: Unexpected Encounters

Unfortunately, her father stubbornly clung to his position, and denied Mira’s continued requests to go to the surface. That is not to say their relationship was one of constant arguments - they did have many pleasant days with each other - but the combination of two very stubborn people with two very different worldviews meant they were often at odds. Although she loved her father, and even loved the palace to a certain extent, Mira longed to get away for awhile. The surface was her first choice of places to run away to, but of course she couldn’t go there. Her father would never allow it.

 _Mother would have let me visit_ , the girl - now fifteen - thought, lying on her bed with a jewelled box at her side. The box, originally meant for jewellery, contained all her greatest treasures, though few of them were necklaces or bracelets. Instead she kept her favourite memories inside, some in the form of pictures, and others in the form of objects.

Lifting the lid of the box, she withdrew a small, round device which she set on her flattened palm and activated. A transparent image appeared above - a holophoto of her mother, taken only a year before her death.

 _I wish she was still here._ Mira shut her eyes and tried to hold in a sob. _Things would be so different if she hadn’t died._

She turned off the projector and placed it back in the box with care, then dropped her head into the pillow. It seemed so unfair - she’d only had her mother for six years. Soon it would be the tenth anniversary of her death; it felt like a lifetime had passed since they were last together. Six years was nothing compared to the decades of her life that would be lived without her mother. _Why did I have to lose her?_ Her eyes grew moist. _I feel so alone._

Sitting up again, she wiped her eyes and picked up the box. Smiling lovingly at the contents, she was about to close the lid and put it away when something caught her eye. Pressed inside a glass frame were the remnants of three kaeruli flowers, now shrivelled and brown. 

 _I forgot I still had these._ She felt her lips curl into a small grin, though the tear sliding down her face testified to the feelings of sorrow that existed alongside her amusement. _I guess I couldn’t bear to get rid of them._ After all, how could she throw out a gift from her mother?

The flowers were also one of the few connections she had to the surface. _It’s not like I’m likely to see any of these up here._ Kaeruli plants ran rampant on the surface, but no one seemed to grow them at the palace. _I’m glad Mother brought me these._ She giggled sadly. _I can’t believe she was willing to sneak down to the surface without Daddy’s permission. She must have had a very strong spirit._             

Already, as she was thinking these thoughts, an idea was beginning to form in the back of her mind. It was crazy, but it appealed to her sense of adventure. _Maybe I could... No, I couldn’t - could I?_

After debating the idea with herself for a few minutes, she finally made up her mind. _If Mother did it, I can do it. Besides, it’s probably the only way I’ll ever get to see the surface, since Daddy won’t let me go there._ Evening was falling, so the risk of being seen was low. All she needed was a way to get there...

 _I know! I can take one of the hover-riders!_ Normally used by cleaning staff when washing the outside of the palace, the hover-riders were small, maneuverable floating platforms which could also be used for short-range transport. Taking one to the surface might be stretching its abilities somewhat, but a little risk only added to the fun.

Putting away her box of treasures, she slipped on a pair of shoes and ghosted through the wall. She came out into a hallway, which was empty save for one guard who was standing some distance away, entirely oblivious to her presence, and she tip-toed away in the opposite direction. Turning a corner, she saw Lord Capella, probably on his way to a council meeting, and behind him Cygni Deneb, who was flirting with one of the young nobles.

Glancing forward, she noticed two guards directly in her path. For a moment, she was unsure of what to do, but the guards had their eyes closed and looked so unaware of their surroundings that she decided to risk slipping past them.

Tip-toeing behind the two men with care, she wondered absently if they were even awake. Even if they were, they might as well have been sleeping, for all the good they would have done if someone decided to invade the palace. 

Once she was past the guards, she quickened her pace and headed for one of the storage rooms, where she knew a few hover-riders were kept. From there, it was a simple matter of selecting one, firing up the engines, and flying it off one of the balconies. The controls were easy to use, and she was able to guide it smoothly away from the palace and down towards the tree-covered surface.

The wind whipped at her hair and clothes as she flew, and it brought with it exotic floral smells from the jungle she was approaching. When she reached the canopy of trees and shrubs, she had to lower the craft slowly to avoid hitting any of the low-lying branches. The slower pace allowed her to take in her surroundings better, and she was delighted by what she saw. From the palace windows, the jungle was simply a blur of greens and blues, but now that she was actually among the foliage she could make out many different kinds of plant, most of which she’d never seen before.

One of them had what appeared to be a giant, flower-like cone growing from it, and she stopped her vehicle so she could get a better look. Holes covered the surface of the cone, and when she pressed her face near them, dozens of glowing spores were released. The wind caught them, and they blew around Mira’s face, tinkling musically, then rose upwards as the breeze carried them away.                    

As she stood on her hover-rider, still entranced by the jungle, the sound of voices caught her attention. Moving closer, she was able to discern them more clearly - it sounded like a man and a woman arguing. However, the words seemed to be gibberish.

Pushing through the leaves, she came across a clearing, and beneath her were the arguing pair. They wore simple clothes, a stark contrast to the ornate clothing seen in the palace, but what surprised Mira most was what the people themselves looked like. They weren’t Tangeans - not Royal Tangeans, anyway. Their skin was a pale brown, and their elongated round heads were completely bald.

The man seemed to be in trouble with the female, and was trying to appease her by repeating ‘Rebo, Rebo’ over and over - however, the woman would have none of it.

“‘Rebo, Rebo’? Ha!” She scrunched up her face in concentration, and a yellow energy beam shot out from it, followed by another and another, all directed at the man, who was thrown backward by one of the blasts and collided with a tree. The force knocked the tree’s fruit off, and the large green fruits landed in a heap upon him.

Watching from her hidden position in the foliage above, the princess giggled. _I wonder who these people are._ And then, in an instant, it came to her. _They must be Grounders!_ Her mother had told her about them, but she’d never actually seen one before. _This is so great!_

The Grounder man pushed the fruit away and stood up, but the woman was still angry with him, and continued to fire the strange head pulses, and the man jerked to the side to avoid them. Unfortunately, the pulses kept going, and before Mira could react, the energy beam hit her hover-rider, blowing it to pieces. The princess was thrown backwards, and she hit the ground with a painful thud which caused her to cry out.

 _Ugh._ Sitting up, she rubbed her head and looked around, momentarily dazed. Her eyes widened in fear when she saw the pair of Grounders standing over her curiously. The male knelt and touched her arm, as if to see what she was, then turned to the female.

“Blue-Blood!”

The woman reacted by pulling him away, then inspecting Mira herself. “Skree,” she stated, taking hold of the girl’s arm and rubbing it. Seeing the pink band in Mira’s hair, a malicious smile spread over her face and she grabbed at it. “Boom boom!”

Although frightened by these strange people, Mira instinctively held onto the band, unwilling to let the woman take it. They struggled together, while the man watched, until a stern voice from above suddenly broke through. “Boom boom! Skree! Boom!”

When Mira looked up, she saw the voice had come from a figure on a hovering motorbike. Something about his words seemed to inspire fear in the pair of Grounders, and they fled the scene as fast as they could. Still dazed by how fast events were moving, Mira turned to watch them go, and didn’t notice the bike descend towards the clearing. It was only when she heard the shrill whine of the engine that she spun around again. The bike had landed a short distance from her, and man hopped off onto the soft grass below. The young princess cowered away and shielded her face when she saw what the man was - another Grounder, dressed in similarly rural clothes, and just as frighteningly different to the kind of people she was used to as the others were. Worst of all, he was heading straight for her. She turned away, afraid to even look at him.

“We don’t get many Royals down here.” The voice was smooth and friendly, completely unlike the harsh, monosyllabic utterings of the other two. For a moment, Mira wondered if she’d been mistaken when she thought the new arrival was a Grounder. However, upon turning around, she was confronted with the sight of a young Grounder man kneeling beside her, smiling.

And yet... She was surprised to find she wasn’t frightened. On the contrary, she couldn’t pull her gaze away from him. His eyes, small and ill-defined against his brown face, were gentle and welcoming; she felt as if she could get lost in them. His smile was one of the warmest she had ever seen.

Realising he was staring at her, just as she was staring at him, the girl looked down in embarrassment. “What - is there something wrong?” She glanced over herself, wondering why he was looking at her like that.

He quickly held up his hands. “No, no, you’re fine - I mean I’m fine - I...” Frustrated, he pressed a hand against his furrowed brow. “Look, you know...”

She smiled, a bashful but comfortable smile, every trace of fear now gone.

“Princess Mira, right?” the young man questioned.

She blinked, then giggled nervously. “How did you know?”

He shrugged. “Hey, not all Grounders are ignorant boomers.” This elicited a small smile from her. Helping the girl her feet, the Grounder glanced at the smoking remains of her hover-rider. “You need a lift back to the palace?”

“Ugh, please, no - I just got out.” Taking a few steps away from him, she twirled slowly across the grassy clearing and hopped onto a log. “I want to see _this_ place - your world.”

He came up beside her. “My carriage awaits.” With a bow, he let her take his arm, and the pair climbed onto the bike together. She wrapped her arms around his waist tentatively, unused to such close contact, while he fired up the engines. They roared upwards in a cloud of smoke, and the Grounder grinned at her. “Where do you want to go?”

“I-I don’t know,” she laughed, loving the feel of the wind in her hair. “Anywhere - as long as it’s beautiful.”

“I think I know just the place,” he nodded. After that, they soared above the jungle in silence - Mira marvelling at the scenery below, and her new friend focusing on driving. It was only when they reached another clearing that he spoke again. “Here we are.”

“Wow...” The sound of cascading water was the first thing Mira noticed, but once the bike came to a rest on the grass, she was able to jump off and push away some plants to reveal a stunning sight. Hidden within the jungle was a seemingly endless rocky hole in the ground, several feet wide, into which a small stream poured. The water ran over the edge and bounced off each stone ledge, creating a spray of mist all the way down. Eventually the darkness claimed the water, and it was impossible to see any further, or see how much deeper it ran. Purple moss lined the rocky walls, watered by the mist, while the few rocks that were bare gleamed brilliantly in the moonlight.

“It’s lovely,” breathed Mira softly, afraid her voice might somehow disrupt the magic of the scene.

“I’m glad you like it, Princess.” The Grounder smiled. 

“Please, my name is Mira - call me that.” Stepping closer, she looked up at his face curiously. “You still haven’t told me your name.”

“It’s Romac.”

Romac - not a name she’d ever heard before, so it was most likely of Grounder origin, but she didn’t care. At that moment, it sounded like the most wonderful name in the universe.

“It’s nice to meet you,” she giggled. Lowering herself onto the grass that ran across the edge of the cavern, she dangled her feet into the cool spray. Her pink leggings grew damp, but she paid them no mind, instead picking up a stone and tossing into the darkness below. A faint splash was heard, but nothing could be seen through the shadows. “How did you find this lovely place?”

“I like to explore.” Romac took a place next to her, but kept his legs hunched on the dry ground. “It seems we have something in common.”

Mira giggled again. “I guess so.” It felt so good to be free from the confines of the palace, to finally visit the surface - and finally have someone to talk to. Even if that someone was so very different from herself.

“So...” With his head propped on his knee, Romac studied her. “What’s the heir to the Tangean throne doing down here in Grounder territory?” It was a legitimate question - usually the only Royals who ever mixed with Grounders were the surface-dwellers, and even then it was rare. Contact between Grounders and nobility was unheard of.

Mira dipped her hand into the stream that trickled past, grasping at the water-smoothed pebbles lying within. “I needed to get out - I was so tired of being trapped there.” A pile of wet pebbles now sat in her hand, and she began tossing them casually into the hole. “I’ve lived in that same palace all my life. It gets so dull there; everyone’s boring, and they’re all so set in their ways. I wanted to see something new - so I came here.”

Romac nodded. “I understand.” They sat in comfortable silence for awhile, simply enjoying the beautiful sights and each other’s company. Finally, Mira glanced up, and realised the moon had risen far into the dark sky.

“Gosh - it’s getting late,” she fretted. “I hope my father hasn’t noticed I’m gone.” _He’ll go crazy if he finds out I came here... and talked to a Grounder!_

Rising, Romac held out his hand and pulled Mira up. “Should I take you back?” he asked. She couldn’t be sure, but it sounded like he was disappointed.

“Yeah, I guess,” she shrugged. “But don’t let anyone see you when we get to the palace. I’m not supposed to be here, and I’m certainly not supposed to be with you.” He nodded, but the glowing smile he’d worn all evening seemed to have vanished.

Once again the two teenagers clambered onto the bike, but this time Mira didn’t feel uncomfortable with being so close to Romac. On the contrary, she revelled in their closeness, going so far as to rest her head on his shoulder. They ascended above the treetops, and Romac steered the bike towards the shining lights in the sky - the only visible parts of the palace, for the rest was nothing more than a dark silhouette against the cliffs.

The nearer they got to the floating structure, the deeper Mira felt her despair grow. She was going back - back to that miserable place where each day was as dull, stiff, and formal as the next, and where no one listened to her. She was leaving behind a world of beauty and mystery, a world where someone _did_ listen to her. And that someone was the most wonderful person she’d ever met; it didn’t matter if they’d only known each other for a couple of hours. She knew Romac was the friend she’d been waiting for all this time. Even, perhaps, more than a friend...

At last the bike came to a stop on an empty balcony, and Romac slid off. He wrapped his hands gently around Mira’s waist and helped her down as well. _Like a true gentleman,_ the young girl thought, comparing him to the many young nobles at the palace. Although they often performed similarly chivalrous actions, she never felt as through they meant it - they simply did it because it was part of their etiquette training. With Romac it was different. His touch was soft, and the look in his eyes as he placed her on the ground showed his reasons for treating her in such a genteel way were far more sincere than those of the nobles: He genuinely cared about her, and wanted his actions to reflect that.

“We’re here,” he stated matter-of-factly, though the sadness in his eyes belied his cool demeanour.

“Yeah...” Mira glanced at the darkened hallway that led into the palace. It looked cold and uninviting. She felt no desire to go there - instead, she wished to stay on the balcony with Romac.

“Look,” the Grounder turned away gloomily, “I have to go. And so do you. So we should get our goodbyes over with.” Turning back, he managed a thin smile. “It was nice meeting you.”

 _No... No. I don’t want him to go._ Her eyes begged him not to leave, but her head nodded up and down in grim acceptance. “Okay. It was nice meeting you too.” However, her resolve waned as she saw him climb onto his bike, for she realised if he left they would likely never meet again. “Wait! Can’t you stay - _please_?”

Romac powered down the engines he had started only a moment before. “I wish I could...” He looked at the palace. “But your people would never allow it. Royals and Grounders don’t get along, and I doubt they ever will.”

“But... isn’t there some way we could continue to meet without them finding out?” she pleaded. _I can’t lose you. You’re the only friend I have._

Romac was about to shake his head, but suddenly he hesitated. “Well... there might be a way...” Then he frowned. “No, I don’t think it would work - not between a Grounder and a Royal.”

Mira clutched his hand. “What is it? Tell me!”

“Well,” he acquiesced, “like Royals, Grounders possess certain mental abilities. You already know about the first - energy blasts from our foreheads - but there’s another. We have weak telepathic powers. Not nearly as strong as Royal telepathy, but it’s enough for us to form mental links with each other if we want to.” He gave her a lop-sided grin. “I don’t know if it’ll work with you - our other powers become non-functional when Grounders and Royals are in close proximity - but it’s worth a try.”

Mira nodded, closing her eyes and focusing her thoughts. If it worked, then she and Romac would have a way of communicating even when they weren’t actually together. If it didn’t - then she could probably give up any hope of having a friendship with him, because they wouldn’t have many other opportunities to meet.

Shutting his eyes as well, Romac squeezed Mira’s hand, and she felt him willing himself to make a connection with her mind. There was nothing at first, but then...

She smiled, her eyes still shut, for she could feel his presence. It took a few more moments of trying, but finally she was able to enter his mind. She found herself standing with him at the waterfall again, but now it was dawn instead of evening, and they were watching the reflection of the rising sun as it glinted in the water. “Everything looks so real,” she marvelled, running a hand along a low-hanging branch. “It even feels real.”

The lanky young Grounder drew her closer. “I’m glad it worked. I was afraid we wouldn’t have any way of seeing each other again.” Leaning in, he caressed her rounded cheeks and pressed his lips gently against hers. A moment later, he pulled away abruptly. “I’m sorry...”

She blushed, giggling uncontrollably. “I-I-It’s okay.” No one had ever kissed her before, and she couldn’t think of anyone she’d ever wanted to be kissed by before. But Romac... She definitely wanted to be kissed by him.

Romac sighed. “I really do need to go now. I have to get back to my home.” Lifting her hand to his lips, he promised, “I’ll meet you - like this - tomorrow, and the next chance I get I’ll come to see you in person again.”

“Okay.” She nodded regretfully, clinging to him for a long moment before pulling away. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” And with that the fantasy world began to fade away, leaving the darkened balcony in it’s place.

Romac started the engine of his bike again. “Goodbye, Mira.”

“Goodbye.” Taking a few steps into the hall, she paused and waved to him as he flew away. _Goodbye, Romac. I can’t wait for tomorrow to come..._


	10. Chapter Nine: Discussions

“How many times must I go over this with you people?” The light of dawn was just beginning to filter through the curtains, casting a few faint rays onto King Nova, who was glaring into the vidphone in his office. “I’ve already given my answer a dozen times: _No._ ”

“But, Your Majesty,” wheedled the voice on the other end, “simply think of the possibilities membership would open up for Tangea...”

“Oh, I’ve thought of them, all right,” Nova snorted. “Why do you think I haven’t agreed to join your worthless alliance? I know what it’ll do to Tangea, and I don’t like it. I refuse to let our culture be ruined by you outsiders.”

“Please reconsider - we have a lot to offer your fair planet,” insisted the Alliance representative. “We...”

Before he could finish, a knock sounded on the wall outside the king’s office. “Excuse me one moment, Ambassador.” Nova turned off the vidscreen, grateful to be rid of the annoying man for awhile. “Come in.”

Already dressed and ready to face the day, Mira entered. “Good morning, Father,” she greeted brightly.

“Mira?” The king checked the clock on his desk. “What are you doing up so early?”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “My room was getting kind of stuffy, so I decided to take a walk through the palace. I came to ask you if it’s okay.”

“Why not stand on your balcony if you want fresh air?” Nova narrowed his eyes. “Why this sudden urge to wander about the palace?”

“I-I just felt like a change of scenery.” The girl remained calm and casual, but fear seemed to glint in her eyes as her father scrutinised her.

“Very well,” he answered at last. “You may go - but make sure you’re back in time for breakfast.”

“Yes, Daddy.” Her shoulders loosened and she let out a soft sigh of relief. Bending down, she kissed her father’s forehead. “Thanks.”

The lines in his face faded, turning to a smile instead, and he pulled his daughter into a hug. “Have I ever told you how beautiful you are, my girl?”

Giggling, she answered, “Several times.” Nova treasured the moments like this, when he and his daughter were completely at peace with each other. “But I don’t mind being told again.”

He laughed. “Anything to please the princess of Tangea.” Cupping her cheek in his hand, he looked intently into her face. “You are beautiful - and I think you’re getting more beautiful by the day. Each morning, when I see you smile, you look more radiant than the last time.”

* * *

The kind words should have made her happy, but the paranoia that had been building for the last month set in, and she found it hard to remain smiling. _He’s noticed a change in me - that’s not good. What if he gets suspicious? What if he finds out why I’m so happy?_ “Thank you, Daddy. Um... So,” she quickly changed the subject, “you were talking to someone?”

“Yes,” he sighed, “and I’ll have to return to my call soon. I can’t keep the old fool on hold much longer, unfortunately.”

“Okay.” Mira nodded. “I’m going to go on my walk, so I won’t disturb you much longer. Who is it you’re talking to?”

“Oh, one of those blasted Alliance people. They’re still trying to convince Tangea to join.” Rubbing his temples, he continued, “Honestly, I’m getting quite annoyed with their constant calls. They’ve been at it for several months now, hounding me day and night to join their alliance.” The stubborn look he wore so often appeared. “But I won’t do it - I won’t!”

Mira turned away. “I’ll see you at breakfast, Daddy.” She left the room before he could continue his tirade against the Galactic Alliance, and headed for the palace halls. Whenever she heard him air his views on outsiders, it reminded her how angry he’d be if he ever found out about Romac, and her paranoia grew. She couldn’t let him know - not if she wanted to continue dating the Grounder. Of course, her young mind didn’t dwell on the impracticality of the situation: That the future queen of Tangea couldn’t keep up a secret romance indefinitely. All she cared about was being with Romac.

It was now a month since they had first met, and for every day of that month they’d been in contact - either through their mind links, or through Romac’s occasional visits to the palace. He didn’t come often, for fear of being seen, but this morning he’d agreed to meet her on one of the balconies.

Hurrying through a crowd of catering staff who were delivering breakfast to some of the earlier-rising nobles, she reached a staircase and charged up. _Romac will be here any minute!_ The thought thrilled her, for it was over ten days since she’d seen him last. As wonderful as the mind links were, they couldn’t compare to the joy she felt when she was actually with Romac - when she could see him and hear him and touch him, and know that it wasn’t just an illusion.

Suddenly, there was a crash, a shout, and before she knew what was happening she found herself lying at the bottom of the stairs. Her body ached and it took a few moments to regain her breath.

“You clumsy fool!” Looking up, she saw Cygni Deneb sprawled across the top of the stairs, her face clouded with rage. “Why don’t you watch where you’re going?”

“I’m sorry.” Mira dusted herself off, limping slightly as she ascended the stairs. “I was distracted for a moment. Here, let me help you.” She reached out her hand.

“I can get up just fine on my own, Princess,” the older girl spat, pushing her away. Even years later, their rivalry was still going strong, though it was now mostly one-sided. Mira no longer felt any need to compete with Cygni, but the other girl saw things quite differently. Her resentment of the king’s daughter had only grown with time, and the two were barely on speaking terms half the time. “Where are you going at such a rush anyway, and at such an early hour?” she asked suspiciously.

“Oh, nowhere - I’m just taking a walk,” Mira answered, feigning indifference. “What about you? I don’t normally see you up this early.”

The girl cast her a venomous glare. “Mind your own business!” And with that she stalked away.

 _She’s in a mood,_ the fifteen-year-old thought with amusement. _It was just a question._ Given the defensiveness with which Cygni had answered, she suspected the girl was returning from a tryst with whatever young noble she was currently enamoured with. Although she was engaging in a tryst of her own, Mira couldn’t help but look at the other girl with scorn. She was dating Romac because she loved him; Cygni flirted with all the high-born boys her age in an attempt to raise her social standing by finding a well-connected husband. There was no love in any of her relationships. This filled Mira with a certain measure of conceit, for she was certain her relationship was far better. There was no doubt in her idealistic young mind that true love existed between herself and Romac, and that they were meant to be together.

Ascending one more flight of steps, she made it to the right level, and rushed to one of the balconies. Because it was in a secluded part of the palace, it had become their customary meeting place.

Everything was cast in a pink light by dawn sky, and the glow of the rising sun gilded the clouds. Mira rested her elbows on the handrail, staring into the distance while she waited. The jungle below glistened like a mass of green gems spread across a bed of rocks as the sun’s rays reflected off the foliage. The already beautiful sight appeared even more lovely in Mira’s mind, which was filled with joy and anticipation: Soon she would be with Romac again, and the feeling of incompleteness she had while they were parted would vanish, to be replaced with a sense of contentment. It was an utterly perfect day.

A low whine alerted her to an approaching vehicle, and within moments Romac’s bike had landed on the wide balcony.

“Romac!” The Grounder had barely dismounted his bike before he found himself with a pair of thin arms around his neck, and a blue face pressed against his chest.

Slipping one arm around her waist and running a finger through her red hair with the other, he whispered, “It’s good to see you again, Mira.”

“Oh, Romac.” She let out sigh. “It seems like years since I last saw you!”

Gently untangling himself from her grasp and squeezing her hand, he answered with a grin, “It’s only been a few days, remember? And we met yesterday in our minds.”

Hitting him lightly in the arm, she giggled. “You know what I mean! It’s so hard to be away from you, even for a little while.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Leaning over, he kissed her forehead. “So, how’s your morning been today, Princess?”

“Wonderful now that you’re here.”

“And before that? Your father didn’t suspect anything, did he?”

Mira paused before answering. “I - I don’t think so, but it’s hard to say.” She shrugged. “I don’t think we need to worry, anyway, because he’s too preoccupied with the Galactic Alliance right now to notice much else.”

“The Galactic Alliance?” Curiosity entered Romac’s eyes. “Is Tangea finally going to join?”

“Oh, no,” Mira laughed, with a hint of frustration in her voice. “Father would never do that. The Alliance is trying to persuade him to change his mind, but they don’t know how stubborn he is. Even _I_ can’t get him to consider it.” Then, suddenly puzzled, she asked, “How do you know about the Galactic Alliance anyway? I didn’t think much news about the outside universe reached the surface.”

“You’d be surprised,” replied Romac. “In fact, we probably get more news than you do.”

“What? But how?”

He smirked. “We aren’t quite the dumb savages most Royals say we are. In fact, although we aren’t on your level of technological achievement, we do very well for ourselves. We’ve even got a few ships, and since we have no inhibitions over mixing with outsiders, we’ve travelled to other worlds many times. A lot of Grounders even live off-world. I’ve heard that some have made big names for themselves, especially in the bounty hunter business.” Smiling at her surprise and wonder, he continued gently, “Since there aren’t that many opportunities for us here, we realised we had to expand beyond Tangea and become part of the galactic scene. It’s not good to stay isolated, especially when there’s so much out there to see, and to learn...”

 _It sounds amazing! I had no idea the Grounders had spread out like that - I guess it’s ‘cause no one ever talks about them here. I wish my people were as far-sighted and open-minded as they are._ “Have you ever left Tangea?”

“Once. When I was very young.” Romac closed his eyes, recalling the event. “My father worked for some traders, and on one of his trading missions he took me along. What I saw then - it’s been my driving inspiration ever since. Oh, Mira,” there was now boyish excitement in his voice, “if only you could have been there. We visited a planet called Trade World, and we met so many different species, saw so many new sights. It was nothing like Tangea. No jungles, no floating cities. Everywhere, as far as the eye could see, were buildings - the surface was covered in them. Most were dirty, and the streets were filled with crime and poverty, but all the same they were fascinating. And there was an ocean right beside the capital city. I’d never seen an ocean before - Tangea’s oceans are too far from where I live - and it was breathtaking. So much water, with waves crashing against the rocky shore.”

Mira listened, enthralled. “What did the city look like? What were the people like?”

“Well, despite the two suns shining down on it, the city always seemed dark, and smoggy. But every colour you can imagine filled the scene. Lights and signs flashed everywhere, and small stalls crowded every street. And the people - they came in every colour, size and shape.” The more he talked, the more he seemed to become lost in his memories. “Because the planet’s main function is as an interplanetary market place, the city is filled with buyers and sellers from dozens of worlds. You wouldn’t believe some of the beings I saw there. People with four eyes, or three legs. Giant heads, red skin, claws, fur, feathers - all of that and more could be seen on some of the aliens.” Shaking his head, he looked at Mira. “I mean no offense to your people, but... if they could be there, I hope they’d realise how arrogant it is to think that they, one species among so many, are better than everyone else.”

“Unlikely,” sighed Mira. “You obviously don’t know Royals well enough. We’re convinced we’re at the centre of the universe.”

“Maybe I just know the wrong Royals,” grinned Romac. “Or perhaps I should say the _right_ Royals. Not all your people are like that - _you’re_ not. And many of the Royals on the surface aren’t either.”

Mira’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re met some?”

“Of course.” He nodded. “They avoid us most of the time, but we still run into each other sometimes. And...” Once again, he grew excited. “And after I had a taste of the outside universe, I knew I wanted to know more about it. So I started hanging out anywhere I thought I could learn something. Sometimes that was around other traders... and sometimes it was among Royals, in their towns.” A wide grin spread over his face. “I think I read every book in their libraries. Reading isn’t exactly something us Grounders do a lot of - hard work is valued over intellectual pursuits - so I was mocked for my interests, but that never stopped me.”

Admiration filled Mira’s face. “I think you’re amazing! And I think it’s amazing that we have so much in common. I’ve wanted all my life to learn about the rest of the galaxy, and to see other worlds.”

Romac slid his arm around her again. “I’d say we’re kindred spirits.”

 _Kindred spirits... I like that._ Mira nodded. “One day, maybe we can leave this place and travel the galaxy together.”

“That’d be wonderful, Mira.”

Leaning against each other, they stood in silence for awhile and watched the sky grow bluer and bluer as the dawn faded. After a time, Mira asked, “Why didn’t you ever go with your father again on his trading trips? I’d have gone with him every time I could if I were you.”

The Grounder looked down, his mouth twisted into a sad smile. “For all our open-mindedness towards other races, we still haven’t advanced past certain petty prejudices and pointless quarrels among our own kind. Clashes over territory are common between clans, and my father was killed shortly after he and I returned to Tangea. All he’d done was cross over the border of another clan’s territory, but that was enough to get him killed.” He pounded his fist on the banister. “It was all so pointless! No one should die over something so trivial. My people act as though the borders between the clans are sacred, but I’ve never been able to see it that way. They’re just lines on a map.” Glancing at Mira, he shrugged. “I guess in some ways your people are right. You are more civilised than us.”

Mira shook her head. “No. We’re both just the same, Romac. Just as bad.” It was difficult to keep her voice steady as she continued. “You know how my mother died, don’t you? She was killed when some men tried to shoot my father so they could take over the palace. It’s the same principle - people die just so other people can gain power.”

“I guess you’re right.” Romac looked into the sky. “From what I’ve learned, it’s like that everywhere. The same game is played on every planet, in every culture - just on different levels, and in different ways. People want power, and many will do whatever it takes to get it.”

“It’s sickening. Do you think it will ever end?”

“No.”

“But - but what about those Space Rangers I’ve heard of?” she questioned. “Maybe they could put a stop to it.”

“Oh, Mira.” He chuckled. “As long as it’s in peoples’ nature to crave power and status, nothing will change. No one can make a difference against things like this. We can’t fight it, the best we can hope to do is live with it... and learn to occasionally use it to our advantage.”

Mira frowned, but remained silent. For the first time since they’d met, she disagreed with him over something. She felt a sudden need to change the subject. “So, Romac, tell me what else you know about Trade World and other planets...”

* * *

Servants had arrived, bringing his breakfast, and after they set the table King Nova settled into one of the chairs and drummed his fingers on the armrest. Mira had promised to be back before breakfast, and she still hadn’t arrived. Not only was it rude for her to be this late, but it made him wonder just what was keeping her so long. Surely a simple walk around the palace for some fresh air wouldn’t take this long... Unless she’d somehow gotten hurt. No - that was ridiculous. _I worry too much,_ he told himself. _She’s only a few minutes late. Perhaps she met some of her school friends in the hall, or lost track of time. Whatever the case, I’m sure it’s not worth worrying about._ Still, it was strange. Come to think of it, about ten days ago she’d gone for a similar walk, and disappeared for an unusually long time. And a few days before that she’d done the same thing. He hadn’t noticed until now because he’d had too much on his mind, but a definite pattern was emerging...

 _Oh, this is silly. It’s just a coincidence. After all, what reason could she possibly have for disappearing every few days? She probably just wants to get away from me for awhile,_ he thought ruefully, reflecting over their many arguments.

Before he could ponder the matter any further, Mira herself stepped through the wall. “Hello, Daddy!” Giving him a peck on the cheek, she flopped into her seat. “Am I late?”

“A little, child.” He raised an eyebrow. “Where were you?”

Mira winced for an instant, then flashed him her most innocent smile. “I was watching the sunrise, and it was so beautiful I forgot all about breakfast.” Looking ashamed, she poured herself a cup of tea. “I didn’t keep you waiting too long, did I?”

“No.” King Nova decided to accept her answer, and began eating his breakfast. In the back of his mind, though, he couldn’t help but wonder if she was telling him the truth... or if it was a lie.


	11. Chapter Ten: Torn Apart

The rainy season had come early that year. Romac pulled his coat tighter, trying to keep the cold out, and continued slogging through the mud. Wind rippled through the jungle, each gust carrying another wave of rain that stung when it hit the Grounder’s face. Shielding his eyes with a hand, he tried to ignore the harsh conditions and focused instead on finding the object he sought. Under normal circumstances, he would be with his clan in the village, where it was dry, but not tonight. He’d made a promise, and he intended to keep it.

At last, after almost slipping on the wet rocks, he reached the sheltered cliff face where the garden was. Protected against the wind, this location was far dryer than its surroundings. Romac lowered himself onto one of the rocks with a sigh and shook the water off his coat.

Like the waterfall he showed Mira, this was a place he visited often. Secluded, sheltered, and beautiful, it was the perfect spot to spend some time alone thinking or reading. He couldn’t count the number of hours he’d passed under this rocky hideaway, engrossed in a book or tending his plants.

Lovingly cared for, those plants were his pride and joy. One of them stood out from the others. It had long, thorny stems topped by blood-red flowers, with each petal curled around another, creating a tight spiral unlike anything he’d seen among the native Tangea flora. This plant was one his father had acquired on his travels; the man who sold it to him said it was called a “rose” and was grown by the humans. It was this plant that had prompted his trek through the wet jungle.

Removing a knife from his belt, he sliced four flower stems off the plant, pausing briefly to inhale their sweet scent before slipping them into the leather bag he carried. Next he picked a dozen yellow flowers off another plant and placed them next to the roses.

“That should be enough.” He smiled to himself.

* * *

“The weather seems to be clearing up.”

Her father’s comment made her glance out the window, and Mira noted with satisfaction that the rain was indeed slowing. She’d feared it would last all night. Although Romac had promised he would meet her that day regardless of the weather, she was still relieved to find the rain wouldn’t pose any problems. 

“Oh, Mira, I forgot to tell you,” remarked the king, warming his hands on the steaming mug he held. “You have an appointment with the tailor tomorrow. You need to be fitted for your gown. That dress you wore at last year’s ball won’t fit you anymore.”

Mira nodded, hardly listening. “Yes, Father.” Who cared about parties and balls and dresses when there were more important things to look forward to - like seeing Romac again?

“Have you decided who you will go with?” King Nova sipped the drink and leaned back in his chair. “You’re getting too old to be escorted by me every year. It’s time you went with one of the young men your age. I know some of them have been asking.”

 _I don’t care about any of them! They’re a bunch of self-absorbed idiots. I wish Romac could escort me to the ball._ “Oh, I’ll find someone,” she answered without enthusiasm. Glancing at the clock, she began to squirm. _I need to get to our meeting place. Romac will be here soon._ “Daddy?”

“Yes, Mira?”

“I’m going to take a walk - I, uh, need to stretch my legs. I feel stiff from sitting inside all day.” She rose, trying to appear casual. “I’ll see you later, okay, Daddy?”

King Nova nodded, looking down into his cup. “I hope you enjoy your walk.”

* * *

At last the rain had stopped, and Romac gratefully flung off his wet coat. Removing the tarp that covered his bike, he swung himself into the seat and pressed his foot down upon one of the pedals. Water and mud was blown in every direction as the powerful engine came to life, lifting the bike into the air. Once he had risen above the trees, he steered towards the distant palace, holding back none of the vehicle’s speed. Wet treetops raced by below in a blur, and the palace grew larger and larger.

In no time at all, he was bringing the bike back to a sedate speed so he could maneuver around the floating city, trying to locate the quiet balcony he knew so well. The sight of a pink figure staring up at the moon caught his eye, and he quietly lowered the bike down some distance away.

Mira stood on the edge of the balcony, clutching her hand to her heart as she waited. She had her back turned, and seemed unaware of Romac’s presence.

 _She looks so beautiful in the moonlight,_ he mused. Slipping his hand into his pocket, he withdrew a handful of the glowing airy spores that tinkled like chimes, and tossed them into the air. The breeze caught them and carried them forward like a swarm of fireflies, blowing past Mira. She gasped in delight and turned around in time to see the spores alight on the bouquet of flowers Romac held out to her.

“Romac! You came! And you brought those alien flowers you told me about, just like you promised!” She dashed forward, love shining her eyes. Resting against the red and yellow bouquet, she looked up into his face joyfully.

Romac flashed her his customary charming grin, and the pair leaned towards each other, their lips puckered. The moonlight cast soft light onto their faces; the perfect moment for a kiss.

“ _Mira!_ ” The angry voice shattered the tranquil night, and the pair spun around in shock, coming face to face with a furious King Nova.

“Daddy!” Mira gasped.

“What is the meaning of this?” he demanded, waving his cane at them and resting his gaze on Romac, who flinched. “What is _that_ doing here?”

“Y-Your Majesty,” began Romac, backing away, “I-I can explain...”

“Father, please, don’t be angry,” begged Mira.

Nova gripped the top of his cane so tightly it looked as if it would break. “Angry? My girl, I am not angry - I am _enraged_!” He advanced towards the pair. “Here I find my only daughter, the princess of Tangea, consorting with a filthy, disgusting _Grounder,_ ” his voice was filled with venom when he said the word, “and you don’t want me to be angry?”

“But Daddy,” Mira pleaded, “Romac’s wonderful. Don’t -”

“Silence!” The king held up his hand. “You!” He pointed at Romac. “I want you gone - now! And don’t you _ever_ come back.”

“No, Father!” The princess grabbed his arm. “Don’t send him away! Please don’t send him away!” Her lips quivered. “I love him.”

Ignoring her completely, Nova directed a glare at Romac, and the Grounder hung his head in defeat. He shoved the flowers into Mira’s hands and jumped onto the bike. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I love you too.” Before she could stop him, he powered up the vehicle and flew into the night.

* * *

“Romac!” Clutching the flowers in one hand, Mira stretched out the other in a vain plea for her lover to return. _No! No!_

While she watched the bike fade into nothing more than a speck on the horizon, her father came over and yanked the bouquet away from her. She tried to grab the flowers back, but he flung them to the floor. Petals and leaves were scattered everywhere, and the king stamped his boot on the once pretty bouquet.

“No,” Mira sobbed, staring at the remains of Romac’s gift. “Father...” Unable to continue, she turned away and began to cry.

“None of that, daughter, we need to talk.” Her father took her hand and pulled her back inside. Wordlessly they traipsed through the halls until they reached their chambers. Once inside, King Nova seated her firmly in one of the chairs and began to pace. “What were you thinking?” He threw up his hands. “My own daughter with a Grounder!”

Mira sniffed. “I love him.” _This can’t be happening! Why is it happening?_ “What were you doing there, Father?” she asked bitterly.

He looked away. “I followed you. I’ve suspected for some time that you had a secret... But I never dreamed...” Shaking his head, he continued, “I thought perhaps you were visiting parts of the palace that are off-limits to you, or that you had a boyfriend and didn’t want to tell me...”

“I do have a boyfriend,” she sobbed. “And he’s the most wonderful man I’ve ever met!”

Nova gritted his teeth. “He is a Grounder, Mira. A Grounder. They are little more than animals - and savage, barbaric animals at that. There’s a reason we live up here and they live down there. The less interaction we have with them the better.”

“But Mother lived down there, with them,” countered Mira.

“No, she may have lived on the surface, but she lived among her own kind. Even the surface-dwellers, for all their faults, stay away from the Grounders.”

“But Daddy, you don’t know what Romac’s like! He’s not savage - he’s kind, and smart, and funny.” Tears ran down her face. “I love him.”

Nova sighed. “Mira, you are too young to understand these things. You’ve convinced yourself you’re in love with that Grounder, but you’re not - you don’t even know what love is. All the lies that brute has probably spun have confused you, and you’ve lost your good judgement.”

“You don’t understand!” she cried. “You can’t understand, because you don’t want to! You just want to believe that all Grounders are stupid, vicious beasts, but they’re not!”

“That’s enough, Mira! You don’t know what you’re talking about,” silenced her father. “Listen to me: You are never to speak to that Grounder again. Do you understand me?”

“But -”

“Do you understand?”

She sighed, looking down at her feet. “Yes, Father.”

“Good.” His face softened, and he stopped pacing. “I know you’re angry, Mira, but one day you’ll see that I’m right. This is for your own good.” He put his hand on her shoulder.

“No, I won’t see!” Shaking him off, she folded her arms. “One day, when I’m queen, I’m going change things! We’ll stop being so prejudiced against the Grounders, and we’ll stop being so afraid of outsiders. We’ll travel to the stars and -”

As she spoke, her father’s expression grew darker and darker until finally he cut in, “No! You will do nothing of the sort! You will uphold the age-old Tangean traditions just as I have and my father before me, and his before him. So put aside all these ridiculous notions!”

“Just wait and see,” Mira threatened. “I’ll change things.”

“Oh, Mira,” sighed Nova, suddenly appearing to be very tired. “Why can’t you be more like the other girls your age? None of them ever cause such trouble as you do. You certainly wouldn’t find the Capellas’ children or the Denebs’ daughter associating with Grounders. Why can’t you be like them?”

Mira clenched her fists. “Oh, you want me to be like Cygni Deneb? Strutting about the palace in skimpy dresses and flirting with everyone in sight? Or Vega Capella, who bursts into tears at the slightest provocation?”

“Now, you know that’s not what I meant, Mira,” admonished her father. “I want you to act more like a Royal; more like a princess. Not some wild monkey who consorts with Grounders.”

“But - ugh!” She sprang to her feet, and waved her arms in frustration. “You just don’t understand! I don’t think you ever will.”

Nova rolled his eyes. “Mira, please, no theatrics.”

“Just leave me alone!” She stormed towards her room. “I never want to talk to you again!” If Tangea had doors, she certainly would have slammed one as she walked out.

Once in her room, Mira collapsed onto her bed and cried into the pillow. It just wasn’t fair - she loved Romac, and knew they were meant to be together - but now they’d been forced apart. _I promised him I would never let anything come between us, and he promised me the same thing. But Father split us up!_ She kicked at the bed. _It’s not fair! It’s not fair!_

It was one thing to threaten her father with all the changes she’d make when she was queen, but it was quite another thing to wait for that time to come. It could be many years before she took the throne, and by then Romac would have forgotten about her. _Oh, why did this have to happen? Why?_

How could she convince her father that the Grounders weren’t all bad? How could she get him to see what Romac was really like? _I don’t think there is a way._ Her sobs increased. _He’s far too stubborn. He never changes his mind. Oh, I wish Mother were here! She would understand._

Thinking of her mother made her remember the blue flowers, and in turn she remembered the flowers Romac had given her. This time she hadn’t even been able to keep the flowers in memory of the person she’d lost. Anger and bitterness against her father welled up within her. _He’s horrible! I wish I didn’t live here! I wish I could live with the Grounders, and go with them when they visit other planets, and be with Romac. Everything would be so much better that way. I wish I wasn’t a princess._

Somewhere, deep in her mind, she suddenly felt a pull - as though someone were trying to reach outto her. The pull grew stronger, and she recognised it.

“Romac.” She breathed the name softly, and repeated it. He was trying to contact her. _Of course! The mind link! Even after everything that’s happened, I’ll be able to talk to him!_ But then, just as she was about to joyfully open her mind and call out to him, her face fell. _I can’t... Father forbade me to speak to him._ For all her anger, the thought of going against her father’s wishes was too much for her conscience to handle. The man infuriated her, but she still respected him.

And yet, she could feel Romac’s presence as he urged her to open her mind, and it was so hard to resist. More than anything, she wanted to fall into his arms and be held while she told him of the fight with her father, and let him soothe away all her troubles. Even if it was only in her mind, it would be bliss to see him again after the way they had parted.

But she couldn’t. She couldn’t disobey her father. It wouldn’t be right. _Oh, Romac, I’m sorry._ And so she closed her eyes and tried to block out the pull of his mind.

* * *

He tried for almost an hour, but it was no use. She was ignoring his pleas, shutting him out from her mind. That stung more than anything her father could have said or done. The girl he loved didn’t want to talk to him - she wouldn’t even say one word. Finally, he gave up.

Opening his eyes, he glanced out the window of the run-down house and noticed it had begun to rain again. How fitting. His family was huddled around a fire in one of the other rooms, probably eating supper, but he wasn’t hungry. Nor did he want to see anyone right now. All he could do was open one of his books and lose himself in its world.

But even then, he couldn’t shake the misery he felt. Mira had been wrenched from his life - perhaps forever. After searching for so long, he’d at last found a kindred spirit, and now she was gone. What was he supposed to do now? Who could he share his thoughts with? His views, his dreams, his memories? Only Mira had ever been interested in listening. No one else cared.

Realising he hadn’t read a word on the page he was staring at, he renewed his concentration and tried to forget the blow that had been dealt to him that night.

Outside, the rain kept pouring.


	12. Chapter Eleven: Acceptance

Leaning against the wall, clad in a frilly white ball gown, Mira scanned through the crowd listlessly to pick out her father. He was talking with one of his advisors, but he kept shooting glances in her direction, as if checking to make sure she was behaving herself. _He’s afraid I might make a scene._ She snorted. _Perhaps I should - it would serve him right. I should yell to everyone in the room that I don’t want to be here, that I would rather be with my Grounder boyfriend. That would create a few scandals._ But she remained silent, with only her low-drawn brow giving away the anger she felt.

It had been a struggle for her father to get her to come to the ball at all. Only after much protesting did she give in, and she’d maintained a cool attitude towards him the entire evening. Forgiveness was slow in coming for the way he’d broken up her relationship with Romac, and there was now an even thicker wall between them than had ever existed before.

_And now he’s forced me to come to this awful ball full of awful people!_

To her dismay, she could see Lord Capella’s son Altair approaching. Like everyone else at the ball, he was wearing his finest suit and his sickly-green hair was slicked back as far as it would go.

“Princess Mira,” his reedy voice called out as he crossed the room. “What good luck! I was hoping I could have a word with you.”

Not even feigning polite interest as she normally would have done, the girl stifled a sigh and folded her arms. “What do you want?” Altair was one of several boys who had requested the ‘honour’ of accompanying her to the ball, but she’d refused and he’d gone with Cygni instead. _So why does he want to see me now? Why can’t he pester_ her _instead?_

“I was going to ask if you’d promised the next dance to anyone yet.” He took her hand. “Because if you haven’t, I simply must have it! Why, we haven’t danced together at all tonight! That is such a shame, don’t you think?” He moved his smiling face closer to hers, and she pulled away a few inches. “I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t get a chance to twirl the most beautiful woman on Tangea around the room a few times.”

Mira slipped her hand from his grasp. “The most beautiful woman on Tangea, huh? I hope your _date_ doesn’t hear you say that.” Altair and Cygni were very much alike in some ways, she mused: All they wanted was to advance their social status, and since a princess was higher in rank than the daughter of a lord, Altair was quite happy to abandon Cygni in favour of Mira. The thought of such superficial relationships only served to remind her of what she knew she’d lost - a deep, sincere love with a wonderful young man - and she pushed Altair away in disgust. “I’m not interested.”

“But surely just one little dance...?”

“Just leave me alone!” Couldn’t anyone see that she didn’t want to be here? She wanted to be by herself, away from all the people she despised, so she could sort through her thoughts and emotions.

Glaring at her with haughty indignation, Altair turned away and left, much to her relief. When she glanced at her father, however, she saw he had witnessed their conversation, and his face wore a look of disapproval. _Oh, well. I don’t care what he thinks._ A small part of her realised, though, that if that was true she would never have let him dictate who she was and wasn’t allowed to see. It would have been easy to stay in contact with Romac through mind links, and her father would never know, but she’d kept her promise. She hadn’t spoken to her boyfriend at all since that night on the balcony. The promise didn’t stop her heart from aching with longing, though.

A soft strain of music began to play as the next dance started, and one by one couples partnered up on the dance floor. As usual, her father remained still, standing across the room by the opposite wall. His gaze was directed at her, and she suspected he wanted to say a few things about her rude dismissal of Altair. _Oh, craters, I don’t want to talk to him right now._ Choosing the lesser of two evils, she headed for the dance floor.

“Mira!”

“Hello, Fop.” The young, blonde-haired Lord Doppler had been her escort to the ball - he was the least objectionable of everyone who had asked - and for once she was glad to see him.

“How about a dance, wot?”

Just what she’d been hoping he would ask. “Certainly.” As she and Fop joined the others on the dance floor, she couldn’t resist glancing back and giving her father a triumphant smirk. He wouldn’t get to scold her after all. She’d won this round.

The music seemed to drag on an unreasonable long time, and her feet, unused to dancing, began to protest wearily after awhile. At last, the dance ended, and she collapsed onto one of the sofas hidden away in the corner of the room, behind some shrubbery. Removing her shoes and casting a glare at their cruelly high heels, she allowed her feet a moment of respite.

The rainy season had brought with it sweltering humidity, and amidst the lace and frills of her dress she was growing moist with sweat. The sultry atmosphere also made it harder for her to catch her breath, and she felt the beginnings of a headache as her skull began to throb. _Why did they have to hold the ball tonight, when it’s so hot?_

Slipping back into her shoes, she trudged to the refreshment table and served herself a glass of water. One of the servants operating the table saw her and rushed over.

“Is there anything we can get you, Princess?” 

“No.” _I just want to be left alone._

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” she said through clenched teeth. “I’m fine. Thank you.” Getting the hint, the overly eager servant bowed and left. Mira downed the rest of her drink, then set the glass aside and rubbed her head. The headache wasn’t getting any better - if anything it was worse - and the loud chatter of guests, clinking of glasses, and tramping of dance shoes weren’t helping. _I wish I could go back to my room and stay there._ But hiding would be useless. It would only make her father angrier.

Thinking of her father made her search the room for him again, and she was relieved to see he was no longer glaring at her. Instead, he was engaged in conversation with Lord Angstrom and Lord Capella.

Her relief was short-lived, however, for she saw someone else coming through the crowd who she dreaded even more. “Why, hello, Mira,” Cygni’s deceptively honeyed voice gushed as she stopped beside the princess. “You look lovely tonight. That dress is so good that one almost doesn’t notice your frizzy hair.”

Mira felt her cheeks grow hot, and she couldn’t help glancing at the shiny floor to check her reflection. Her hair was indeed messier than when she’d first arrived at the ball - the sweat and humidity had taken their toll - but it wasn’t quite as bad as Cygni implied. The princess glared. “Hello, Cygni.”

Cygni smiled. “Now that we’ve exchanged the usual pleasantries, let me get straight to the point.” She leaned closer, her voice now a whisper. “Stay away from Altair Deneb! I don’t want you to dance with him or even talk to him. He’s mine.”

“You can have him,” snorted Mira. “I don’t want him. I’ll stay away with pleasure.” Why was she being harassed over this? Did Cygni honestly think she had even the slightest interest in that whiny, stuck-up prig? Her heart belonged to someone far, far better. “Well, I’ve got to go. Good evening, Cyg.” Pushing past the girl, she escaped into the crowd.

As she moved through the throng of people, her father’s voice caught her attention. He was addressing the two lords, and hadn’t noticed her presence. Stopping when she heard her name mentioned, Mira tried to catch the rest of the conversation.

“I wish I could do something about Mira.” The king shook his head gravely. “She’s so wild and uncontrollable - you wouldn’t believe some of the things she’s done recently. Sometimes I wonder if she’ll ever become sensible and civilised enough to be queen.”

Mira glowered. She didn’t even want to be queen, but she was hurt and angered by how little faith her father had in her.

“She has such impractical, distasteful, naive views - just like her mother - and worst of all she actually wants to carry them out when she becomes queen.” Nova sighed. “I worry about her, and I worry for the future. I wish there was something I could do to make her see things my way, but she won’t listen. She’s too foolish and young.”

 _How can he say those things about me!_ She was already angry with him, and this latest slight against her, combined with the hot, humid air and the other irritations of the evening, caused her self-control to fail. Unable to remain silent any longer, she emerged from the crowd and pointed a finger at her father. “Oh, so I’m foolish am I? Well, I don’t care what you think, Father. I don’t care what you think of me, or my opinions, or my choices! You know why? Because I don’t care about _you_!”

“Mira, what are you -”

“So just leave me alone!” Pushing through the curious onlookers who didn’t want to miss a good scandal, she reached the end of the room and ghosted out.

* * *

Discarding her hover-rider at the gate and breaking into a run, Mira followed the dusty path until it brought her to a row of buildings. They looked rural and primitive compared to the palace, but they were well-maintained, and their simplicity was a welcome relief from the gaudy, ornate designs she saw every day.

“Hello?” The questioning voice caused her to whip around, startled, and she found herself looking at a pair of workers carrying in a load of kaeruli fruit. “Can we help you, Miss?”

“I-I’m looking for my mother’s family,” she said. “I think this is their farm...”

The men exchanged glances. “You wouldn’t happen to be Princess Mira, would you?” one asked.

She nodded. “Yes. My mother was Cerise Aldebaran. Is this the Aldebaran farm?”

“It is.” Putting down the container of fruit, one of the men led her towards a cottage. “Your grandfather is out in one of the fields, but Mrs. Aldebaran will be in.”

When they reached the cottage, Mira gazed curiously at the wooden door across the entrance. “Why is there...?”

“...a door?” The worker laughed. “You’ll see a lot of those down here, Your Highness. It’s rare that we get Grounder visitors, but common enough that we have to be prepared.”

This brought a smile to Mira’s face. She knew the surface-dwellers considered Grounders inferior, just like the Royals at the palace, but at least their prejudice wasn’t quite as strong. It made her wonder if maybe her relationship with Romac would be accepted here.

When the door creaked open and they stepped inside, it was as if they’d entered an entirely different world. The wooden furniture, the cramped work spaces, and homey, lived-in feel was so different from the rooms in the palace. The smell of food frying drifted into the room, and Mira felt a pang of hunger.

“Mrs. Aldebaran, you have a guest!” called the farmhand. “I’ll be outside if you need me.” While he disappeared out the front door, Mira saw a form emerge from what she guessed was the kitchen.

The woman was short, but she had thin, muscular arms and a brisk way of walking. Her grey hair was tied up behind her head, and she wore a patched brown apron that she unhooked and tossed onto a chair. “Good evening, girl.” She seemed to be appraising Mira with interest, as if realising she wasn’t from around there. “What’s your name?”

The sight of the woman made Mira’s heart ache. There was something in her face - especially the eyes - that brought back memories of her mother. Even the voice was similar. “Grandmother?”

“Grandmother? What do you - wait, Mira? Little Mira?” Stepping closer, the woman peered into Mira’s face. “Yes... I can see Cerise in you, and you’ve got your father’s red hair.” Her face broke into a smile. “Oh, Mira, you don’t know how long I’ve yearned to meet you. But what are you doing here?”

This was going to be awkward. “I... I’ve run away,” she confessed. “I want to live with you.”

Her grandmother frowned. “Does your father know where you are? He must be worried sick.”

“I don’t care.” Folding her arms defiantly, Mira strolled further into the house. “I’m not going back. I’m going to live here now.”

The older woman shrugged. “Well, in that case you can start by taking the food out that pan before it burns. I have something to attend to, but I’ll be along in a minute to help you.”

* * *

King Nova shut off the vidphone, weary but relieved. His daughter had been found. Granted, she’d created a scene at an important social event, brought a fair amount of disgrace to his family, and run away to the surface, but at least she was safe. Cerise’s mother’s call had eased his fears, and now he simply had to wait for the old woman to return Mira as she promised she would. _I don’t know what I’m going to say to that girl._ Her behaviour was completely uncalled for. But what could he do? She never listened. _She’s just like her mother. Worse, actually._ Now that he thought about it, Cerise was never quite that stubborn, nor did she have a temper like that.

 _But I do._ This thought surprised him, but he couldn’t deny the truth of it. He was stubborn - in a good way, he hastily reminded himself - and at times he did let his temper get the best of him. The more he considered the matter, the more he realised just how similar they were. _And yet, we’re so different... She sees the world in an entirely different way._

But were they that different? Hadn’t he too once fallen in love with someone from the surface, against his father’s wishes? He’d even married her - something Mira thankfully hadn’t done in the case of that Grounder.

_No, no, the situation with Cerise and I was completely different. She may have been from the surface, but she was still a Royal - a true Tangean, not a barbaric Grounder. If Mira had simply fallen in love with a surface-dweller, I’d have had no objections. But a Grounder - they’re not even the same species as us! I did the right thing. A relationship between them was out of the question._

It had devastated Mira, though. He could see that now. She still missed the Grounder boy, and her anger had driven her to run away. The look she’d given as she left was eerily similar to the one he’d received from Cerise just before... just before she’d decided to leave. And Cerise too had run away to the surface. It was a disturbing trend. Why did he always drive the people closest to him away? And what if... What if something happened to Mira, just as something had happened to Cerise? _I can’t lose her. I can’t._ Perhaps he could try to be a little kinder, a little more understanding... Maybe then Mira wouldn’t feel the need to leave. Maybe then she’d forget about that Grounder and move on with her life.

* * *

“You’re doing a fine job,” smiled Mrs. Aldebaran, entering the kitchen. “Is this really your first time cooking? You’ve certainly got a knack for it.”

Standing by the sizzling stove, Mira beamed with pride at her grandmother’s approval. “It’s fun! I can’t wait to eat some of the food!” She looked her grandmother curiously. “Where did you go earlier? It sounded like you were talking to someone in the other room...”

The older woman chewed her lip. “I was talking to your father. I told him I’d bring you back to the palace soon.”

Mira dropped the spoon she was holding, and it hit the floor with a clatter. “But I said I wanted to live here!” _How could she do this?_ “I don’t want to go back! I hate it there - I  like it so much better here. Don’t send me back!”

“I understand how you feel,” sighed her grandmother, “but running away isn’t the answer. You’re a princess, remember? You can’t leave. One day you’ll have to take the throne.”

“It’ll be years and years before I become queen,” huffed Mira. “Why can’t I stay here until then?”

Mrs. Aldebaran smiled. “Oh, Mira, you still have a lot to learn. You’re just as impractical as Cerise was at your age.” She patted the girl’s shoulder. “Wouldn’t you miss your father?”

Mira shook her head vigorously. “Why should I? He’s the reason I want to leave! Down here I don’t have to listen to him, or go to awful balls, or spend time with people I don’t like. Everything’s so much more peaceful, and I can just do the things I want to do.”

“If that’s what you think surface life is like,” laughed her grandmother, “then you’re in for quite a shock. If you stayed, you’d have to work far harder than you ever did at the palace. We don’t have an army of servants to care for us - we have to do things ourselves.”

“I don’t care.” Mira shrugged. “At least I could be with... I could...” Her face contorted as she tried to restrain the tears. “I could be with Romac.”

“Romac?”

Wiping her eyes, the girl turned away. “I don’t want to talk about him.” _Maybe I shouldn’t have come here. I should have gone to Romac instead._ “Goodbye, Grandmother.” She marched out the kitchen wall, ending up behind the house. Beating back the low bushes that filled the ground, she headed for the parked hover-rider.

Before she got very far, however, her grandmother followed her outside. “Mira, what are you doing?”

“I’m leaving,” she called back. “I don’t want you to take me to the palace!”

“Oh, Mira.” In no time, Mrs. Aldebaran had caught up with her. “Stop being silly. You know you can’t run away. Your life is at the palace. You wouldn’t like it here.”

“Well, I don’t like it at the palace, so the surface can’t be any worse.”

Taking hold of Mira’s shoulder, the older woman stopped her. “I find it hard to believe that after spending sixteen years - your entire life - at the palace, you suddenly want to leave. What’s really the matter? What happened? Who is this Romac you mentioned?”

Mira felt the tears well up beneath her eyes again. “R-Romac is my boyfriend.” Her lips trembled. “He _was_ my boyfriend.”

“What happened, dear?”

“Father made him leave.” She sniffed. “He made me promise never to talk to him again.” Unable to hold them off any longer, the tears began to trail down her face.

“Why?”

“B-B-Because he’s a... a...” Hesitating, Mira looked into her grandmother’s face. It was kind and sympathetic, reassuring her. “He’s a Grounder.”

Shock passed over the woman’s face, but she did an admirable job of controlling it. “A... A Grounder, you say?”

Mira nodded, disappointed at her grandmother’s lack of understanding. The surface-dwellers were more open-minded than the people at the palace, but it was clear they weren’t free of prejudice. “His name is Romac. He’s wonderful... and I love him. But Father doesn’t care. He won’t listen to anything I say - he always thinks he’s right. So he sent Romac away.”

“And that’s why you left,” surmised Mrs. Aldebaran. “That’s the real reason, isn’t it? You’re angry with your father.”

“Of course!” _What he did was so unfair!_ “Don’t I have every right to be?”

“Maybe.” Her grandmother shrugged. “And maybe not. You have to try seeing things from his perspective as well.”

 _Doesn’t she get it? He tore me away from the only person I love!_ “Why should I? His perspective is wrong!”

Mrs. Aldebaran chuckled. “Apparently you and he have a lot more in common than you think. Always so right in your own minds...”

“What are you talking about?” Mira frowned.

“Never mind that.” Her grandmother leaned forward. “Mira, I’m sure your father had a reason for what he did. It may have been wrong, it may have been right. But I don’t think he did it just to hurt you. Quite the opposite. He probably thought he was protecting you. You’re his only daughter - his only family now that Cerise...” She trailed off, looking down.

“But I don’t need protecting!” Mira declared.

“Your father thinks you do. You can’t blame him for that. After all, you’re his child,” she said. “And you can’t blame him for doing what he thought was right, even if you disagree with it. Staying angry with him won’t solve anything.”

“But -”

“The only chance you’ll ever have of convincing him to change his mind is if you stop fighting him and try to reason things out. Cerise used to say that arguing always made him cling to his position even more stubbornly.” She wiped the tears from Mira’s cheek. “Go back to him, dear. Go back and make amends. Don’t stay angry. Your mother wouldn’t have wanted the two of you to be at odds.”

Mira sighed. Her grandmother’s words made sense, but her rebellious spirit still balked at the idea. “What if I do that and he still doesn’t change his mind?”

“Then you will have to accept that, child. Don’t look so sad,” soothed Mrs. Aldebaran. “I know that no matter what happens, you’ll eventually be together with whoever it is you’re meant for. Perhaps it’s that Grounder, or perhaps someone else. But things will be all right in the end.”

 _I’ll... I’ll have to trust that._ “Okay,” Mira nodded with little enthusiasm. “I’ll go back.” She didn’t know if she could forgive her father yet, but she promised herself she would try.


	13. Chapter Twelve: The Alliance

Although their relationship was still far from perfect, things had improved between Mira and her father after she returned from her attempted getaway. King Nova tried to be kinder, fearing she would only rebel further if he restricted her too much, and Mira tried to be less argumentative. They didn’t always live out their resolutions successfully, and Mira still couldn’t get her father to reconsider his views on Romac, but on the whole their relationship was far less strained than it had been.

A little over a year later, an event occurred that would change Mira’s life forever. The Galactic Alliance had been calling constantly, trying to convince Tangea to join, and in a desperate attempt to get some peace, King Nova had reluctantly agreed to let several ambassadors come to the palace to hold a presentation enumerating all the advantages of Alliance membership.

The day they were scheduled to arrive saw Nova cross and impatient, and Mira thrilled with anticipation. She doubted the conference would do anything to change her father’s mind, but it did at least give her an opportunity to meet off-worlders and learn more about life in the rest of the galaxy.

It was evening when the ship came. Mira was waiting on the landing pad with an escort of guards, while King Nova waited in the throne room, unwilling to take the trouble to greet his unwelcome visitors. As soon as she saw the faint light descending through the darkening sky, and realised it was the shuttle she’d been waiting for, Mira began fidgeting, unable to contain her excitement. It seemed an eternity before the vessel came to a rest on the pad, and when it did she was the first to rush forward.

Amidst the smoke of the now disengaged engines, the hatch slid open and a figure stepped out. As the smoke cleared, his features became clear. In form he looked like a middle-aged Tangean man, but his neck was shorter and his skin was light tan with a pinkish hue to it. He wore a green and white space suit, and, except for his face, his entire head was covered by a purple hood. A small swirl adorned his broad chin, and his eyes, though friendly, were scanning the area intently. Seemingly satisfied by what he saw, he approached Mira. “Good evening - you must be Princess Mira, heir to the Tangean throne?”

Nodding, Mira gazed at him with wonder and curiosity. “Yes - are you one of the ambassadors?” _I wonder what world he’s from. I’ve never seen a member of his species before!_

“No, no,” he chuckled. “I’m in charge of security.” He extended his hand. “Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear at your service.”

 _Buzz Lightyear? He’s that Space Ranger  everybody talks about!_ She took a shy step back, awed at meeting a legend. However, the friendly, casual manner in which he was holding out his hand encouraged her. Anyone else would have bowed in the presence of royalty, but he was treating her as if she were just like any other person. It was strangely refreshing, and she hesitantly reached out. Her delicate hand was lost in his large palm, but she shook it amiably. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, Princess.” He let go of her hand. “I’ll bring out the ambassadors, and your people can lead us to the king.” Re-entering the ship, he was gone for a few minutes, then emerged with a pair of ambassadors. One was pink, with a long trunk that extended down to his chest, and Buzz introduced him as a Pachydermian. The other was a short, stick-like man with green skin and a green moustache, who Buzz said hailed from the planet Braxa. They both moved to the front of the group with the guards, while Mira and the Space Ranger trailed behind.

“What planet are you from?” the princess asked, excitement filling her voice.

Buzz smiled. “I was born on Morph, but now I live on Capital Planet. I spend most of my time at Star Command, though.”

“Star Command?”

“A space station. It serves as the base of operations for us Space Rangers.”

Mira looked at him curiously. “The Space Rangers - they’re like a galactic police force, right? I haven’t been able to learn much about them. We get so little news here on Tangea.”

“That could change if this conference is successful,” remarked Buzz hopefully. “Yes, we’re a paramilitary organisation that enforces justice and keeps the peace throughout the galaxy. We are sworn to uphold the law and protect planets likes yours against the threat of evil.” A faraway look entered his eyes. “Star Command is my life. In fact, after so many years in the service, I don’t think I could ever do anything else.”

 _I wish I could feel that way about my duties._ Mira stared at the palace walls around her, knowing one day they would be hers and she would rule Tangea. _I’ve never had a choice. I’ve never been able to choose what I want to be. My whole life was planned before I was even born._

They reached the throne room at last, and the group halted in front of the wall. “Uh... It’s a dead-end.” Buzz raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t there be a door here or something?”

The guards exchanged scornful glances, clearly unimpressed with the Space Ranger’s ignorance. Smiling, Mira took hold of Buzz’s arm. “We don’t use doors here.” She pulled him towards the wall, while the guards did the same with the ambassadors, and a moment later they had stepped through into the throne room.

“Amazing,” gasped Buzz as Mira let go of his arm. “I’d heard your people had the ability to become intangible, but I had no idea it was this powerful, or that you could ghost multiple people - especially non-Tangeans - at once.”

Mira merely grinned, moving away from the main group and taking a place in the shadows. Buzz followed, and they watched as the guards announced the ambassadors to King Nova. The king wore a look of bored aggravation, and barely glanced up when the ambassadors were introduced.

“Your father, I presume?” Buzz inquired.

Mira nodded, folding her arms. “Yeah... Don’t expect him to be very receptive to the Alliance’s presentation. He hates outsiders, and he never changes his mind.”

“Well, that... sounds... promising.” Buzz sighed, resting against the wall. They watched as a screen came down from the ceiling, and the ambassadors inserted a data crystal into it. The screen flashed to life, and a video began playing, showcasing the wonders of the Galactic Alliance. “At least you don’t seem to share your father’s views...”

Shrugging, Mira looked down at the floor. “I’ve always followed my mother’s ideals. She was much more open-minded than my father.” The princess smiled. “She wanted to us to join the Alliance, like I do. Maybe... Maybe if she were still here she’d have been able to make my father see things differently.”

Buzz nodded. “Well, the conference has only just begun. There’s still a chance the king will change his mind.”

“You’re quite an optimist, huh?” Mira giggled. “I wish I could believe you, but you don’t know my father like I do. He’ll never change.” With a sigh, she continued to watch the proceedings, noting King Nova’s bored posture. _He has no intention of joining the Alliance. This is a waste of time._ Then she glanced at Buzz. _At least I get to meet some new people out of it._

“Optimism, Princess, is one of those things that are essential to keeping this galaxy running,” Buzz was asserting. “That’s something we Rangers learn very quickly in our line of work. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to do our job.”

Smiling, Mira looked at him curiously. “You really believe in what you do, don’t you? It means a lot to you?”

“Like I said, Princess, it’s my life.” Although he was still scanning the room for potential threats, he did momentarily send a glance her way. “What about you? What’s at the centre of your life?”

Mira sighed. “I don’t know. Nothing, I guess. Once... Well, once there was a... a boy, but I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again.” _I can’t believe it’s been over a year since I was last in his arms, since he last kissed me..._ “Now I don’t think I have anything.”

Shaking his head sadly, Buzz chewed his lower lip. “Everyone needs something. Don’t you have any dreams? Any aspirations?”

“Yeah.” Mira shrugged. “I want to travel - I want to see the galaxy. Most importantly, I want to change our society, because we _need_ to change.”

“Admirable goals, Princess.”

“But none of it will happen for a very long time, if ever!” She threw up her hands. “Sometimes I get so frustrated by it all! I wish I wasn’t a princess. I wish I could be like you - just an ordinary person, who can make their own choices. Someone who doesn’t live on the most stuck-up, isolated planet in the galaxy.” She sighed. “Would that have been too much to ask for? Why did I have to be born into this life?”

To her annoyance, the Space Ranger simply grinned. “I think you’re exactly where you should be, and exactly _what_ you should be.” When she began glaring, he explained. “You said it yourself - your planet needs to change. And one day you will be in the perfect position to implement that change. Sounds like you’re exactly where you need to be, doesn’t it? And believe me, Princess,” he put his hand on her shoulder, “doing good is the only thing that really matters in this universe. If you can help others, then your life won’t be wasted.”

“Um, yeah...” She didn’t know quite what to say, so she just shrugged. “I guess.” _How does that help me now? It’s still years and years before I’ll become queen, and there’s not much I can do until then. It’s easy for him to talk - he’s a Space Ranger, he helps people everyday - I’m just a princess._ Taking a glass from one of the floating refreshment tables, she settled against the wall to wait out the conference silence.

The presentation lasted some time, and although Mira found it fascinating, her father and the rest of the Royal Court looked bored out of their minds. The ambassadors did their best to sell the presentation to them, and both appeared quite confident they’d succeeded, but Mira knew it was useless. Her father didn’t look convinced in the slightest.

At last, the presentation video concluded with the words, “Now, more than ever, the Galactic Alliance is the choice for tomorrow,” and the ambassadors turned to king hopefully.

“So, King Nova,” the Braxan addressed him, “is Tangea ready to join the Galactic Alliance?”

Slouched in his throne, Nova rolled his eyes. “Most certainly not.”

 _Craters, I knew it,_ sighed Mira, leaving her place next to Buzz and ascending the steps to the throne. “Father, they’re right. Tangea needs to come out of its shell and join the galactic community!”

Nova folded his arms. “Nonsense. I will not fraternise with lesser life-forms.”

 _Ugh, he’s so stubborn!_ Mira clenched her teeth.

“Your Highness,” Buzz stepped out of the shadows, “listen to your daughter.” Seeing Nova’s questioning look, he introduced himself. “Buzz Lightyear, Space Ranger, and head of security for this conference.” He stood proudly to attention and saluted the king.

A smirk curled over Nova’s lips. “Some sort of talking ape! Does it do tricks?”

Mira had her arm slung over the throne, and her grip tightened on the headrest as she tried to control her anger. _Doesn’t he know who that is? Why can’t he show respect for anyone unless they’re Tangean? We aren’t the only sentient life in the galaxy!_

Buzz, however, appeared unfazed by the insult. “King Nova, Galactic Alliance membership guarantees safety from the Evil Emperor Zurg!”

There was that other name she’d heard... Zurg. Surely he wasn’t a threat to Tangea? Her anger momentarily forgotten, Mira tried to remember what that trader had told her years ago about the emperor. _He’s a... a despot trying to take over the galaxy,_ she recalled. _But he wouldn’t be interested in us... He’s probably never even heard of Tangea. After all_ she thought bitterly _, we have so little contact with outsiders._ And with that her anger returned.

King Nova, meanwhile, had risen from his throne and was chuckling. “Zurg? Oh, pish posh!” Raising his cane, he waved it smugly at the Space Ranger. “We Tangeans are capable of defending ourselves - in ways your crude mind cannot hope to grasp.”

Folding her arms, Mira glared at her father. _Sometimes he is so unbearable!_ Suddenly, a faint rumbling caught her ears, and she looked up to the ceiling.

Cracks were forming at an alarming rate, and a few moments later the roof caved, sending a pile of debris crashing down upon the unfortunate Buzz Lightyear, who was standing in the middle of the room. The ambassadors ran for cover, and the Royal Court stared in bewilderment, too confused and frightened to move.

Before the dust had even cleared, something landed with a heavy, metallic thud on the ground, and a voice called from above, “Hello, pathetic Tangeans! Meet my Hyper-Hornet!” A hovering platform descended through the hole in the roof, and a purple figure stood upon it, gesturing to the object that had landed. It was some sort of yellow robot, so large it’s triangular head would have almost touched the ceiling if it was still intact. The man in purple, who wore a skirt that entirely covered his legs, silver armour across his chest, and what looked like a horned mask on his head - unless that _was_ his head - was still pointing at the robot with pride. “He’s like the regular hornets, except _bigger_ and _eviller_! Or...” he paused to tap the yellow, tooth-like grill that took the place of his mouth, “...is that more evil? Grammar’s not my strong suit... But, anyway, Hyper-Hornet, remove King Nova!”

The yellow behemoth stirred from its docile pose and marched up to the throne, causing the guards to run in fear and the ambassadors to charge away down a shadowy hall. Mira stared, horrified, as the robot stretched its arm out towards her father, who was rushing up the steps in an effort to get away. Her anger was once again forgotten, only this time it was replaced with fear. _Daddy! Don’t let it get you!_

The king was halfway up the stairs when he tripped, and the Hyper-Hornet’s giant hand caught hold of his waistcoat, pulling him away as he struggled in vain to get to safety. A compartment in the robot’s torso rolled opened, and her father was flung unceremoniously inside. Then the compartment slid closed, and the menacing robot became still again.

“Daddy!” This time Mira screamed the word out loud. _No! They can’t take him! They mustn’t!_ All the bitterness and anger she held against her father seemed insignificant now that he was in danger. _Daddy! Please be all right!_


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Making a Difference

Mira charged down the steps, staring up at the Hyper-Hornet fearfully. What had become of her father?

To her annoyance, the Royal Court began to snicker amongst themselves. She wasn’t the only one who found this irritatingly inappropriate, for Zurg leaned forward in confused indignation. “What? What’s with the chuckling? What’s so funny?”

Lord Capella sneered. “Oh, a poor, undeveloped _buffoon_ like you wouldn’t understand.”

A frown creased Mira’s face. _Can’t they see that my father’s in grave danger? And so is Tangea if we don’t do something!_

The king’s secretary, Sir Gemini, approached one of the walls. “We Tangeans can ghost through any solid object.” To demonstrate, he phased his hand and thrust it through the wall, then pulled it out again triumphantly.

Steepling his fingers, Lord Capella threw a smirk in Zurg’s direction. “I expect old Nova to bounce out of your so-called ‘Hyper-Hornet’ any moment now.”

Mira felt like slapping her forehead. _Of course! Daddy’ll be fine! He just needs to ghost out and then we can run to safety and send the guards to deal with the robot._

Grimacing uncertainly, Zurg knelt beside the short green insectoid operating his hover-throne. “Did we count on that?”

“Oh, yes, Evil Emperor,” assured the minion. “The Hyper-Hornet is outfitted with an anti-Tangean hull.”

 _Oh, craters!_ Fear returned to Mira’s face, and she looked around helplessly. _What are we going to do?_

“Ha!” the emperor gloated. “So, who’s the poor, undeveloped buffoon now, huh?”

Without warning, the rubble strewn across the floor began to quiver, and a second later it was blasted in all directions by a red laser beam from beneath. “That would be you, Zurg!”

 _Buzz is okay!_ Mira’s heart leapt - a saviour had appeared.

Emerging from the pile of broken ceiling pieces, the Space Ranger levelled his arm at Zurg and pressed an unseen trigger, causing a red beam to shoot from his wrist. Zurg ducked the blast, groaning at the sight of his enemy.

“Hyper-Hornet, destroy Buzz Lightyear!”

On command, the hornet turned around and shot a green pulse from its hand, blasting Buzz upwards. Mira gasped as she watched him perform a mid-air somersault and aim at the robot as he fell. Unfortunately, before he could fire, the hornet sent out a wave of red energy rings from its chest, and they wrapped themselves around the unfortunate Ranger. He dropped to the floor, his arms pinned to his sides by the restraints, and struggled to break free.

Mira nearly screamed when she noticed what the hornet was doing. After raising its huge metal foot, the ‘bot began to slowly bring it down above Buzz.

In a moment of quick thinking, Lightyear pressed a button on his suit. A pair of wings emerged from the jetpack on his back, breaking through the energy bands and freeing him in time to fly away before the foot came crashing down.

 _Wow, he’s good,_ Mira marvelled.

Without even pausing for breath, Buzz flew in for another attack, firing at the hulking robot. It fired back, waving its arm at him as he flew around its head as though it were trying to swat a fly.                          

Clasping her hands over her face anxiously, Mira eyed the nobles around her. “Shouldn’t we do something?”

“Right, we’ll immediately...” Capella shuffled indecisively. “...form a committee to... evaluate the situation.” Concurring with his choice of actions, the other nobles followed the lord as he began to walk away.

Mira clenched her teeth, then spun around and called after them, “Actually, I-I had something a little more pro-active in mind! You know, maybe we could...” Already the nobles were ghosting out the room. “...fight or some- Aw, craters!” She folded her arms. _They’re going to be a lot of help._

“I heard that, Mira!” echoed the voice of her father from inside the robot. “No need for coarse language!”

This brought a smile to Mira’s face. _Daddy’s okay! He’s trapped, but at least he’s okay!_

Meanwhile, Zurg was gleefully watching Buzz’s futile effort to fight his hornet. Chuckling, he shouted to the Ranger, “You can’t keep this up forever, Lightyear! My Hyper-Hornet never tires!”

“Neither does Justice,” retorted Buzz, dodging the arm of the hornet as it tried to swat him. He continued to fire at the robot, but each blast simply bounced harmlessly off the thick hull.

 _This doesn’t look good,_ cringed Mira.

And then it got worse. A lucky swipe of the robot’s arm connected with Buzz, and he was thrown against the wall with such force that he broke through, falling out the palace and towards the distant ground.

When she heard his cry as he fell, Mira realised the Ranger’s jetpack was no longer functioning, otherwise he would have flown to safety. _He’s going to die!_ And if Buzz fell to his death, then Tangea was doomed too. _What am I going to do?_ Her mind was reeling - this was so far removed from any situation she’d ever been in before. Suddenly, one of the floating refreshment tables caught her eye, and she took a running leap onto it. Glasses hit the floor and shattered, spewing water everywhere as the table took flight. Using her feet to control its path, she maneuvered the makeshift craft towards the wall and focused her mental powers, phasing herself and the table so that they slipped harmlessly through.

When she glanced below at Buzz, she saw he was still plummeting downwards, heading for the shallow river that ran beneath the palace. He waved his arms, struggling helplessly against gravity, while a stream of smoke poured from his useless jetpack.

 _I only have one shot at this!_ Mira pressed her weight down as hard as she could on the table, pushing it towards the falling Ranger. _I have to catch up with him in time! I have to, I have to!_ As she repeated this to herself, Buzz grew closer and closer, until at last she was within arm’s reach of him. _Yes!_ Throwing out her arms, she grabbed hold of him and pulled, lugging the heavy Ranger onto the table.

For a few frightening seconds, she feared the craft wouldn’t be able support their combined weight, for it dropped rapidly downwards. However, it soon rose again, and she let out a sigh of relief. “Hi, need a hand?”

Buzz grinned. “Thank you, Princess. You saved my life.”

Mira steered the table upwards, heading for the palace. “Well, I had to. You’re Tangea’s only hope.”

Instead of going back to the throne room, she found an empty balcony outside the council chambers and brought the table to a stop. Buzz hopped off, holding out his hand so he could help her down. “Not necessarily.” Moving towards the windows lining the balcony, he pulled back the curtains. “Uh... Your people really are capable of defending themselves in ways my crude mind can’t hope to grasp.” There was no note of mocking in his voice, but it was filled with sarcasm.

Mira smiled in embarrassment. “Yeah, I don’t know if we can count on my people.” _They’d give away Tangea to Zurg if it meant avoiding a fight. Daddy wouldn’t - he’s too proud and stubborn - but the others are cowards!_

Pulling back more curtains as he rummaged around for anything that could help them, Buzz replied, “Well then, it’s just you and me.”

Mira laughed in relief. _He wouldn’t joke like that unless he had a plan. Maybe he’s got back-up waiting somewhere, or a secret ship in orbit!_ “Yeah, right,” she giggled.

“Something funny, Princess?” Buzz eyed her strangely, and she stopped laughing.

“Oh! Uh, you - you’re serious?” Her eyes widened. _He couldn’t possibly... He can’t think..._ When she saw Buzz nod, her anxieties returned, even stronger than before, and mixed with indignation. “Um, I’m a princess. A princess! I don’t know anything about fighting evil emperors!” _Who does he think I am? I’m not one of his Rangers! I can’t do this! Surely he can’t expect_ me  _to -_

“Princess,” Buzz’s voice was firm, “there’s one thing I’ve learned on my many adventures.” Laying his hand on her shoulder, he gazed intently into her eyes. “You never win if you’re busy counting the reasons you’ll lose.”

She giggled again, though this time it was to break the heaviness of the atmosphere. “Yeah, right.” _There’s no way he can really mean that. The two of us can’t stop Zurg alone!_ Buzz, however, never dropped his intense expression, and Mira quickly cut her laughter. “Oh, oh! Serious again, right? Sorry.”

“Dead serious.”

 _Okay... Now what?_ “Look, how are we supposed to stop Zurg? He’s got a giant robot - we’re just two people!”

“Two determined people, driven by the forces of Good, fighting for the cause of Justice and Freedom. That’s more than a match for anything Zurg’s got.”

Mira shuffled her feet awkwardly. “Um, yeah... Okay. That’s great, but it doesn’t really answer my question...” _This is not going to end well. I know it._

“Like I said, Princess,” answered Buzz, “don’t count the reasons you’ll lose. Trust that Good will triumph.” He smiled in encouragement. “We’ll think of something. I’ve stopped Zurg before, sometimes on my own. Having you at my side makes it twice as likely I’ll stop him again.”

“But I’m not _you_! You were trained for this kind of thing, while I was trained to act like those other pathetic royals back in the palace! You learned fighting, and I learned etiquette! How can I be of any help?”

“Look what you’ve done already.” Buzz gestured to the hovering table. “You saved my life. No one else lifted a finger to help me, but you did. Don’t sell yourself short.” He leaned closer. “Remember what I said earlier about doing good? About making a difference?”

“That it’s the only thing that really matters?”

“Exactly. You have an opportunity to do good now, Mira. You don’t have to wait till you’re the queen. Will you take it? Or are you content to be like all the others - a pampered royal with no backbone?”

She turned away, hugging her arms around her sides. “I am just like them, aren’t I?” Sighing, she glanced back at Buzz. “All right. I’ll do whatever it takes to free Tangea. Got any plans?”

A grin flashed across the Ranger’s face, and he nodded in satisfaction at her decision. “Of course, Princess.” Guiding her towards the wall, he continued, “Ghost me in. I think I know how we can bring down that robot.”

* * *

Some time later, slipping through as quietly as she could, Mira emerged from a wall and ended up in a shadowy corner of the throne room. So far so good. Clutching the weapon she’d taken from the armoury, she took a step forward and surveyed the room. Her hands gripped tightly around the base of the gun in anger when she saw Zurg.

He was lowering himself into her father’s throne - as if it were his - while minions scurried about below and the Hyper-Hornet stood nearby, a silent sentry. Apparently the shape of the throne didn’t suit him, for he shot up again a moment later. “No, no, no, no! It just won’t do! I’ll need a new throne. And - And get me one of those vibrating lower back massager thingies!”

“As you command, Evil Emperor Zurg!” One of the little green insectoids nodded, writing down the order on a clipboard and rushing to fulfil it.

 _How dare he!_ Using anger to push away her fear, Mira stepped out of the shadows. The minion collided with her leg and fell onto his back, only to look up to see a gun barrel pointed at him. “Cancel that order. Father likes his throne just the way it is.” Raising the gun, she aimed it at Zurg, who showed annoyance rather than fear.

“Hyper-Hornet, destroy the princess,” he sighed.

On cue, the giant robot came to life, stomping towards her and firing a green pulse from its hand.

 _Don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic._ Mira leapt aside, somersaulting across the floor and springing up again so she could level her gun at the robot. Green fire swept across the floor where the hornet’s blast had hit, but she tried not to let it bother her. Remembering that the robot was impervious to laser fire, she raised the gun higher and instead shot at the chandelier hanging from what was left of the ceiling. Her aim was far from perfect, but after several tries she finally hit the cable suspending the chandelier and it came crashing down. It smashed down on the robot, pinning its arms to its sides, just as the energy bands had done to Buzz.

 _Maybe this isn’t so tough after all!_ Mira smirked, a rush of adrenaline flowing through her body as she surveyed her handiwork. Time was precious, however, so she didn’t pause long. Leaping at one of the walls, she phased through, hearing Zurg yell ‘stop her!’ in the background and the sound of breaking metal as the hornet burst from its bond.

She ended up in a corridor and immediately began running, her speed quickening when she heard the wall collapse behind her. The hornet had broken through, and was gaining on her with its long, hulking strides.

Her heart pounded as she dodged laser blasts, some of them almost singeing her cape, and she pushed forward with as much speed as she could. “Now, Buzz!”

Emerging from around a corner, Buzz flew out on the table with a long banner grasped in his hands. He zoomed forward with the billowing flag, circling around the hornet over and over until the banner was wrapped around its legs. He then let go and retreated. The robot tried to stomp after him, but instead tripped and fell face first to the floor, cracking open and smashing to pieces.

 _Yes!_ Finally able to stop running, Mira leaned against the wall and breathed a sigh of relief. _We did it!_

Buzz jumped off the table, landing on the remains of the robot’s back. Grabbing the table, he used it to pry open a compartment, and when he’d pushed it aside a voice called from within, “Hello?”

 _Daddy?_ A smile broke across Mira’s face as she watched Buzz help her father out of the cramped compartment. “Daddy!” _He’s safe!_ She rushed forward and embraced him, wrapping her arms around his back and clinging to him with all her might.

Their joyful reunion was cut short, however, by a dual-toned voice calling, “Oh, tell me that crash was the sweet sound of Evil triumphing!” Zurg’s hover-throne rounded the corner, with the emperor onboard, looking quite anxious.

“That,” Buzz retorted, his back still turned to Zurg, “was the sweet sound of Freedom. Tangea’s freedom.” He swung around and aimed his wrist laser at Zurg, a smirk on his face.

Zurg stared at the remains of his hornet, his eyes bulging with horror. “Curse you, Buzz Lightyear!” He shook a pair of fists at the Ranger, who continued to grin smugly.

“And, uh, yeah...?” prompted Buzz.

“Yes, yes,” Zurg waved his arms angrily, “curse you too, Princess!”

Mira couldn’t help smiling in satisfaction, her eyes shining with pride as Buzz gave her a thumbs-up. _I... I did it! I helped defeat the Evil Emperor Zurg!_ Buzz’s words on the balcony suddenly made a whole lot more sense. _Once I stopped focusing on why I_ couldn’t _do it, and just went ahead and did it, I was able to make a difference!_ And it felt good - even better than Buzz had described. _I finally feel like I’ve accomplished something important._

“I suggest you get off this planet, Zurg, or I’m going to have to take you in,” Buzz threatened the emperor.

“I’d like to see you try, Lightyear!” Not waiting around to give him the opportunity, though, Zurg made a rapid exit.

After Zurg left, Buzz turned to King Nova. “I’ll call Star Command and have them send out a couple of cruisers to guard to Tangea for awhile, just in case Zurg tries something again.”

Nova nodded, biting his lip. “You... er... You did all right for a... uh...”

“Talking ape?”

Gritting his teeth in embarrassment, Nova nodded. “Something like that. I... Well, I’m... grateful for your assistance.”

 _I can’t believe it,_ Mira giggled. _He actually apologised - and to an off-worlder!_

“Any time, King Nova.” Buzz saluted. “I’m a Space Ranger. It’s my duty to protect the innocent against evil forces like Zurg. Besides,” he put his hand on Mira’s shoulder, “I couldn’t have done it without the help of your daughter. Great job, Princess - thanks to you, Zurg’s evil plan is history!”

Her cheeks reddening, Mira shrugged. “I didn’t do much...”

“On the contrary, for someone who doesn’t know anything about fighting evil emperors, you handled yourself very well.” He grinned. “Maybe you should think about signing up with Star Command.”

Mira laughed. “‘Space Ranger Mira Nova’ - sounds pretty cool!”

“Hardly.” Folding his arms, King Nova glared at Buzz. “Don’t give her any foolish ideas, she has quite enough already.” Then his gaze softened, and he let out a sigh. “Listen, Ranger Lightyear... While I was in that awful robot, I did something thinking. Perhaps you were right about what you said - Tangea could use protection against the likes of Zurg. I hate to admit it, for we’ve always been very self-sufficient, but I don’t ever want a repeat of what happened today.” He steepled his fingers. “Perhaps you could find those ambassadors and bring them to me. I’d like to talk to them again. This time I’m willing to hear what they have to say.”

Mira’s mouth fell open. _Is he serious?_ “Oh, Daddy, that’s wonderful!” Throwing her arms around him again, she kissed his cheek. “Are we finally going to join the Alliance?”

“Perhaps,” Nova sighed, stroking Mira’s hair.

Nodding in pleasure, Buzz began to walk away. “I’ll make that call to Star Command and get the ambassadors. You’re making an excellent choice, Your Highness.”

“Probably not, and the people are going to be furious, but I have to do what I can to protect my world.” Nova hugged Mira one more time, then glanced around. “Where are those useless guards of mine? I need a clean-up crew in here to remove this robotic monstrosity!”

After had Buzz left and her father had wandered off to find the guards, Mira remained alone in the hallway, her hands clasped to her chest. _I can’t believe it! I can’t believe everything turned out so well!_ She’d never realised her father had it in him to put aside his pride for the sake of his kingdom, and it filled her with a new respect for him. _Maybe he’s a better man than I thought._ Suddenly, her world which had looked so bleak a year ago was bright and full of promise. Who knew what the future had in store...

 _Maybe I’ll even become a Space Ranger one day!_ She laughed at the idea, but it was curiously appealing. The Space Rangers got to travel throughout the galaxy, and most importantly they helped people, pledging their lives in the service of Good. _The only thing that truly matters,_ she thought, remembering Buzz’s words.


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Special Occasions

Time seemed to pass more quickly after Tangea joined the Galactic Alliance. Life became busier at the palace, and many more off-worlders visited. This thrilled Mira no end, especially when they brought news of Star Command and Buzz Lightyear. Her interest in the Space Rangers had grown into what was almost an obsession, for she hounded all off-world visitors for information about them and collected Star Command posters which she pinned up throughout her room. King Nova had grudgingly allowed the fixation, glad it was taking Mira’s thoughts off Romac, but still not entirely approving of it.

On the day of Mira’s twentieth birthday - three years had now passed since she met Buzz - her obsession was stronger than ever.

Light streaming through the crack in her curtains awoke the sleeping princess, and she  stretched out her arms with a yawn. After the grogginess of sleep had worn off, she jerked upright and flung off the covers, realising what day it was.

Jumping out of bed, she hurried to the closet and pulled out her dress. Now that she’d outgrown her pink gown, she wore a green and blue one over a burgundy blouse and burgundy leggings.

Once she was dressed, she paused by the mirror to run a comb through her hair, put on her green hair band, and then she was out the room. She emerged in the main suite, where her father was having breakfast.

“It’s about time you were up.” He put down his plate. “I’ve been waiting all morning.” Rising, he marched forward and stopped in front of her. “Happy birthday, Mira.” He slipped his arms around her, pulling the young woman into an embrace and kissing her cheek.

“Thank you, Daddy.” She returned the hug. “Good morning.”

Holding her at arms’ length, he studied her face. “You’ve grown so much... I can hardly believe it. How can twenty years have gone by already? Not so long ago you were a little girl who could barely walk - and now you’re a woman.” Guiding her to the table, he gestured to a wrapped box that lay on it. “Later, during your party, I will give you your ‘official’ present - a priceless necklace I’m sure you won’t be much interested in - but I thought I should also give you something a bit more heartfelt.” He handed her the box. “Happy birthday.”

“Oh, thank you!” Beaming, Mira tore off the wrapping and lifted the lid. “Oh, Daddy!”

Inside lay an overly ornate picture frame, covered in gaudy gems and artistic swirls. What interested her, however, was the picture it contained. Her father, his face bright and young - and without a moustache - was standing beside her mother, and between them sat a giggling baby, whose head was topped by a few red locks. The love and happiness shared among the family shone through strongly, even in that one still image.

Mira gazed at the photograph in silence for some time, tears pricking at her eyes. She wished she could remember that time, when they were so happy... When everything was well in the universe. “Oh, thank you, Daddy,” she breathed, clutching the picture to her chest. “It’s lovely.”

He nodded. “I’m glad you like it.”

“I love it.” She kissed him. “I’m going to go find a place for it in my room right now!” She rushed back to her room, and her father followed, watching as she scanned the walls for the right place to hang the picture. “Where do you think it’ll look best?”

“Put it wherever you wish, child,” shrugged Nova. He leaned against the wall, and as he looked around, Mira saw his eyes catch a partially filled-out form lying on her dresser.

She quickly dropped the picture on her bed, hurrying to the dresser and grabbing the paper. “I... uh... forgot to put this away. Excuse me while I -”

Nova caught her arm and stopped her. “What is that?”

“Nothing, Daddy.” She tried to smile. “It’s nothing.”

“Then why are you trying to hide it?”

“I-I-I’m not! I just need to put it away.”

Nova reached for the paper. “Then you wouldn’t mind me seeing what it is...”

“No! Please don’t -” Before she could stop him, he’d grabbed the form.

“Let’s see now, what is this...” His eyes scanned through the text. “‘Capital Planet Space Ranger Academy Application Form.’” Tightening his grip on the paper, his eyes narrowed and his blue face began to grow red. “Mira, what is the meaning of this?”

Mira paled, shifting awkwardly. “Um...” Her heart was pounding. _Craters, craters,_ craters _! He wasn’t supposed to find out - not until later, anyway._ “I, uh, well... I’ve been thinking about... uh...”

Frowning at her, Nova continued reading from the form. “‘After filling in all your details, submit the application to Star Command. Wait one to three days for a reply, and if accepted...’” his voice trailed off for a moment, and his eyes widened, “... _go to Capital Planet to begin TRAINING!_ ’” He flung the paper down. “Mira!”

“I-I was going t-to ask you ab-about this, Daddy,” she whimpered. _Oh, Cosmos, he’s mad!_ “N-Now that I’m twenty, I’m ol-old enough to j-j-join the Space Rangers, and...”

“And _nothing_! Mira, I’ve tolerated this obsession of yours up till now because I thought it was harmless, and I thought you’d grow out of it.” He put his hand over his face. “I never imagined it would reach these levels! Even your dear mother, undiscerning though she was, would be shocked! Wanting to join this - this _space club_! It’s unthinkable.”

Mira cringed, stepping back during his yelling. “B-But it’s my dream! It’s been my dream ever since I met that Space Ranger when Zurg attacked. Oh, please, Daddy! Please!” Her throat felt tight, and she had to fight against the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. “I want this so much!”

Nova sighed. “Mira, don’t you understand? Even if I was willing - which I most emphatically am _not_ \- it just isn’t possible. You’re a princess, and you’re the heir to the throne. Your place is here, on Tangea.”

“But I could be both - a princess and a Space Ranger,” she argued. “I’m not queen yet, so there’s nothing for me to do here. I could join the Rangers and serve at Star Command until it’s time for me to take the throne. That way everyone would be happy.”

“No.” Her father gripped his cane. “I will not allow it. Besides, there’s still much for you to do here.”

Mira folded her arms. “Like what?”

“You must continue your education, for a start. A leader must be well-versed in all the rules.”

“But there are thousands of them!”

Nova nodded. “Which is exactly why you must stay here and learn them. Secondly, there is the matter of your powers. You still haven’t developed them nearly to the extent you should have.”

“I know enough.”

“Hardly. You are nowhere near reaching your full potential - there’s so much more I must teach you.”

Mira shrugged. “You could teach me over the vidphone. Or I could come back now and then for lessons. I’m sure we could work something out.”

“The answer’s still _no_.” His voice was cold and firm. “The risk is too great.”

“What risk?” She shook her head in frustration. “Are you afraid I’ll become just like my mother? Newsflash: I already am!” When she noticed how pale he’d become, she quickly added, “I-I-I meant just like h-her in that I’d have o-opinions just like her, n-not... you know. I’m sorry...”

Looking down, he took a deep breath. “You’ve hit on exactly what I’m afraid of, child. I don’t want you to end up like your mother - I don’t want you to be killed. I’ve already lost her; I don’t think I could bear to lose you.”

“You won’t.” Stepping forward, she kissed him. “I’d be all right. I know how to take care of myself.”

“Do you? Even against threats like Zurg, and whatever else lurks out there?” He shook his head. “Mira, it’s too dangerous. The risk of you being hurt is far too great. I will _not_ allow that happen. You aren’t going.”

She ran a hand over her hair in anger. “But Daddy! I’m willing to take those risks. Please, you don’t know what this would mean to me... I could finally feel useful. I could do good.”

“You can do far more good by staying here.”

She was about to object, but the words were strangely reminiscent of what Buzz had told her. _“Sounds like you’re exactly where you need to be to make a difference.”_ Then she shook her head. _No, he meant later, when I’m queen. Until then there’s not much I can do here, so I should go somewhere else where I_ can _make a difference. Star Command is the perfect place for that._

“If something were to happen to you, not only would it crush me, but it would mean the end of the Nova reign. You’re my only daughter...”

Mira gulped, feeling a pang of guilt. She hadn’t considered what would happen to Tangea if she died without leaving any heirs. “I - I wouldn’t let anything happen to me.”

He sighed. “Sometimes these things are beyond our control. Look what happened to... to your mother...”

“The circumstances were entirely different!” Mira choked on the words, thinking sadly of the woman she’d barely gotten to know. “She was killed by assassins. That wouldn’t happen to me at Star Command.”

“Oh, wouldn’t it?” her father scoffed. “Whether you like it or not, Mira, you’re a political figure. The risk is very much there.”

“But -”

“No,” he cut her off. “The answer is no and it will always be no. Is that understood, Mira?”

She gritted her teeth, unable to speak for a moment. Finally, when her anger had cooled enough, she spat, “Yes, Father.”

He patted her shoulder, causing her to cringe. “There’s a good girl. This is really for your own good, you know.”

“That’s what you always say!” Mira pulled away from him. “You said that when you refused to let me go to the surface, and you said that when you stopped me from seeing Romac. Why do you always get to decide what’s ‘for my own good’? Why can’t I decide for once?”

He sighed patronizingly. “Mira, you’re too young to understand these issues properly. Sometimes I have to step in and make the decisions for you - it’s the only way to keep you safe.”

“But I’m tired of it! I’m twenty now - that’s old enough for me to make my own decisions!”

“Not while you’re still living with me.”

She turned away, fighting to keep her voice under control. “I wish I wasn’t living here.” Pushing through the wall, she left the room and stalked through the palace, thinking about her life and the life she wished she had.

* * *

Mira remained angry with her father in the months that followed, however they were both soon distracted from their usual arguments by the arrival of the Holiday season. After Tangea had joined the Galactic Alliance, they’d learned about a celebration held among the Alliance worlds every year - during the winter season for many of those planets - which involved decorating homes with greenery and tinsel, putting dead trees next to fireplaces (a fire hazard if ever there was one, noted King Nova), exchanging presents supposedly delivered be a fat man in red, and sharing goodwill or something like that. Nova hadn’t been very interested when the Alliance explained the details, and only with the greatest reluctance had he agreed to celebrate the Holiday on Tangea as well. He and the nobles considered the extravagant holiday pointless and vulgar, however it had proven quite popular among the rest of the people, especially the children.

While the Holiday seemed quite harmless, it made Nova uneasy each time it came around. It was yet another sign of alien influence on his world, and although entry into the Alliance was necessary, and had done some good for Tangea, he still found it disconcerting. What did the future hold for them? How much more would Tangea change - how many more foreign customs would they adopt? And when he thought of Mira, the future queen, and how easily she was influenced by outside ideas... It frightened him.

 _At least I’ve kept her safe for now,_ he consoled himself. _I’ve guarded her from that space club she wants to join, and I’ll continue to guard her as long as I can. Perhaps one day I’ll finally be able to instill some sense into her._

Standing on the balcony that extended from his room, he looked out at the bare trees below, the jagged cliffs lining the horizon, and the neighbouring cities that floated near the palace, and let out a long breath. This was his kingdom, the world ruled by his family for generations. It had remained virtually unchanged for so long... and now at last outsiders were chipping away at its age-old traditions, adding their own and no doubt planning to strip away some of the existing ones. It was his own fault, really - he’d joined the Alliance. But it couldn’t be helped; Tangea needed the protection. So they simply had to bear this, accepting the off-worlders’ ways when necessary and ignoring them the rest of the time. It was the only way they’d survive.

He gazed up at the bleak winter sky, staring beyond it and seeing the galaxy in his mind’s eye. The days when they could pretend the rest of the universe didn’t matter were gone. Galactic affairs were important now, for they had the potential to affect Tangea. A new age was dawning.

  _wish I wasn’t part of it,_ he sighed. _I wish I lived in another time, when everything was unchanged, and Tangea was in its golden age._ But it was no good wishing. He lived _now_ , in this time of change, and so did Mira. When she became queen, there would be even more change. It was inevitable: Tangea would never be the same again. _All I can do is control the damage to our culture and prevent it from getting too bad._

Slipping back inside, he caught sight of Mira at the table, eating breakfast. “Good morning, child.”

She glanced up, a smile on her face. Though she still brought up Star Command occasionally and begged him to let her join, she wasn’t quite as angry now as she had been on her birthday. “Happy Holiday, Daddy!”

Sometimes he wondered if there was any hope for her. She picked up the ways of the primitive outworlders so easily. No matter how hard he tried to raise her to follow Tangean tradition, she rebelled against it and stubbornly followed after the aliens instead. _If she had joined that Ranger group, I’d probably have lost her completely. She’d become just like one of them._ “Happy Holiday, Mira.”


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Choices

Trudging out her classroom, Mira wove through the crowd of students around her, rubbing her head. Yet another afternoon wasted on pointless mental exercises that were supposed to enhance her concentration, but instead gave her a headache. _And Father thinks developing my powers is more important than becoming a Space Ranger._ She snorted.

 _“Thinking about Star Command again, huh?”_ There was a snicker behind her. “ _You’re so predictable.”_

Mira spun around. “Cygni!” The other girl was smirking at her. “You’re not supposed to invade peoples’ minds without permission!”

Cygni twirled a lock of hair around her finger. “ _Remember what the teacher said - keep a mental block up at all times. You never know who might be rifling through your head..._ _I wouldn’t have been able to enter your mind if you’d taken his advice._ ”

 _“Shut up.”_ Turning her back on the girl, Mira continued walking, angered at the invasion of privacy. What annoyed her even more, though, was that the only way Cygni could have read her thoughts was if she projecting them around her. The teacher had warned them about this - when their powers became more advanced, it was easy it accidentally send out thoughts in moments of strong emotion, and it was something they had to learn to control. Hence the mental block, which she should have been using.

“If you’re so eager to join those space monkeys,” Cygni followed her, “why don’t you do it already?”

Mira scowled back at her. “Why do you care?”

“I’m open to anything that gets you away from here,” she sneered.

_“Ha, ha. Well, I can’t because my father won’t let me.”_

_“So what? There are lots of things my father doesn’t let me do which I do anyway.”_

Mira shook her head. _“I’m not going to disobey my father.”_

_“Oh, my, aren’t you the good little princess. And here I thought you were supposed to be wild and rebellious...”_

_She’s just trying to annoy me._ Mira pursed her lips. _“I thought I told you to shut up.”_

“Oh, very well.” Cygni shot her a sickeningly sweet smile. “But if I were you, I’d have left long ago, regardless of what my father said.”

Ignoring her, Mira rounded the corner and headed down the hall. As she was walking, she heard a voice over the speakers.

“King Nova to the docking bay, King Nova to the docking bay - a Jo-Adian ship is requesting permission to land.”

 _Jo-Adian ship?_ Excitement building within her, Mira changed direction and made for the docking bay. _I didn’t know there were any ships scheduled to arrive today - and a Jo-Adian ship, wow! I’ve never met any Jo-Adians before._ Reaching the bay, she ghosted through and sought out her father, who was conversing with the traffic co-ordinator.

“That food shipment was supposed to be delivered by an automated freighter,” King Nova was insisting. “I want to avoid allowing off-worlders here whenever possible, and I certainly don’t want any fat, ugly Jo-Adians in my palace!”

Mira folded her arms, cringing at his words and glad none of the aliens were present to hear them.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” the other man told him, “but they said they were passing through the area and decided to drop off the shipment in person while they were here.”

“Oh, drat. Well, I suppose we can’t send them away now that they’re here. Tell them they have permission to land.” Turning around, Nova noticed Mira for the first time. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in class?”

She shook her head. “It’s over, so I came here when I heard about the ship.”

“Yes, yes. Well, try not to spend too much time around the Jo-Adians when they arrive. They’re even more simple-minded and primitive than most other off-worlders, and I’d hate for you to pick up their ways.”

Shortly afterwards the Jo-Adian ship arrived - a beige, rattletrap vessel with exotic designs painted over the hull - and a pair of aliens emerged from it. They were a third taller than the Tangeans, and their bodies were red and rounded, with dark blotches on their backs. Wearing simple farming clothes, wide smiles plastered over their faces, and possessing country accents, they contrasted strongly with the ornate elegance of the palace and the sophistication of the royals. Nevertheless, Mira found herself instantly warming to them.

The elder of the pair, a weather-beaten, grey bearded man hobbling forward on a cane, approached King Nova. “Eh, you the king?”

Holding his head up disdainfully, Nova nodded. “Do you have the cargo?”

“Sure do!” The old man turned back to his companion. “Eh, youngster, start unloadin’ them boxes!”

“On it, Gramps!” The other Jo-Adian, a youthful fellow with a cheerful grin, rushed back to the ship.

Curious, Mira followed him, watching in silence for a few moments while he started unloading boxes, then holding out her hand. “Hi, I’m Princess Mira.”

He shook it vigorously. “Booster Munchapper!”

“So, uh...” She freed her hand from his strong grasp. “What are you doing here? My father says you were supposed to send the shipment by cargo freighter...”

Nodding, Booster grabbed several large crates and pulled them out of the ship with ease. “Yeah, we were, but since we were heading out this way today, we decided to drop them off now to save time.”

“Where are you going?” she asked.

Booster dropped the crates down and wiped the sweat from his brow, then proceeded to unload the next set of boxes. His movements became faster as he talked, and his voice rose to an excited squeal. “We’re on our way to Capital Planet! The Space Ranger Academy accepted my application, and if I can just pass the entrance exam, I can enter the Academy!”

Mira’s eyes widened, and she stared at him in surprise. “You’re joining Star Command?”

“Yeah!” He chuckled. “It’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid, and after meeting Buzz Lightyear a month ago, and helping him defeat Zurg -” he began to sound giddy “- I was more determined than ever to join, so I applied to the Academy!”

“That’s... Wow, that’s great.” Looking at the floor, she tried to hold back the tears stinging her eyes. She was happy for this farm boy, but at the same time his excitement reminded her of her disappointment, and she felt a dull ache in the pit of her stomach.

“I know, isn’t it?” Booster clasped his hands together. “I still can’t believe it’s actually happening! Oh, boy, this is going to be so cool! I wonder if I’ll get to see Buzz again...”

“I met Buzz once,” murmured Mira.

Pausing in mid squee, Booster looked at her with newfound wonder. “Really? You know Buzz Lightyear?”

“Kind of.” She shrugged. “He saved my planet too.”

“Get out!”

She rubbed her arm ruefully. “I’ve... Well, I’ve also wanted to join the Space Rangers for awhile now...”

“Oh, wow! That would be so cool - the first Tangean Space Ranger!”

With a sigh, Mira shook her head. “It would be cool, but I don’t think it’s ever going to happen. My father’s not so keen on the idea.” _To put it mildly._ “I’ll probably be stuck here for the rest of my life.” Seeing his features droop, she added, “But hey, these are my problems, not yours. Don’t let it get you down - you’ve got so much to be excited about. You’re on your way to becoming a Space Ranger!”

“Yeah!” He brightened. “I can’t wait to get to the Academy - it’s going to be so great!”

“Hurry up with that cargo, youngster! We ain’t got all day!” called his grandfather.

“Coming, Gramps!” Returning to the ship, Booster began pulling out more cargo. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Princess! Who knows, maybe we’ll run into each other again some time.”

She smiled. “I’d like that.” Returning to her father, she was met with a scowl.

“I told you to stay away from these people.” King Nova’s eyebrows were drawn together in disapproval.

Folding her arms, Mira returned the scowl. “Why should I? They seem to be nice enough.”

“Nice enough?” Her father groaned. “Mira, they smell of mud and manure and have the mental faculties of a two-year-old. They’re hardly the sort of people I want you to spend time with. I don’t like it when you hang around off-worlders in general, but these are a particularly lowly sort.”

With effort, Mira resisted the urge raise her voice. “How can you say that? You barely know them, and from what I’ve seen they’re not lowly - they’re nice.” She eyed him bitterly. “One of them is even on his way to Capital Planet to join the Space Rangers.”

“All the more reason for you to avoid associating with them,” Nova retorted. “I don’t want you picking up those ridiculous notions again...”

“What makes you think I ever abandoned those ‘ridiculous notions?’” she countered, putting her hands on her hips. “I still want to be a Ranger. I _would_  be a Ranger now, if you’d agreed to let me join.”

Nova rubbed his brow. “We’ve been through this before, Mira. There’s no need to discuss it again.”

“No, _no_ , there is,” she insisted icily. “I’m not going to back down on this anymore. When I heard that Jo-Adian talk about entering the Academy, I realised just how much I wanted to do that too. It’s my dream, Father, my _dream_ \- don’t shatter it like all my other dreams.”

After a moment’s silence, Nova shook his head and planted his cane down sharply to emphasise his point. “No. I’ve already made myself clear on this issue - I will not let you live among those... those unevolved apes, and I certainly won’t allow you to face deadly risks in some foolish crusade to save the universe. It is not going to happen, Mira.”

Years of living with him had taught her to discern when he was open to persuasion, and when he was so stubbornly attached to his position that nothing would shake it. The hardness in his face indicated the latter possibility, and she knew arguing was hopeless; once again he was going to have his way. _N-No,_ a voice within her protested hesitantly, _I’m not going to give in again!_ But what could she do? Her father’s mind was clearly made up.

“Now forget this foolishness and come away from here.” King Nova put his hand on her arm and tried to lead her away from the bay.

Mira yanked her arm from his grasp. “No! I told you, I’m not backing down anymore. I’m tired of being told what to do!”

“Please, Mira, don’t be so childish.”

“Maybe it is childish, but it’s the truth! For once in my life, I’d like to make my own decisions.” She folded her arms, staring into his eyes with all the intensity she could muster. The face-off lasted for a few moments, then Nova shook his head.

“I said _no_. That is my final word on the matter.”

Her heart sank, and her shoulders slumped in defeat. Then, an instant later, she straightened again. Her lips tightened, and a hard, defiant look entered her eyes. “I’m sorry, Father, I really am - I wanted your blessing on this. But if I have to, I’ll go without it.”

He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m leaving.” She held up her head. “I’ve had enough. I don’t care what you say, it won’t change my mind - you’re not the only one who can be stubborn. I want to join the Space Rangers, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Nova opened his mouth to speak, but at first no words came. After fumbling with his cane for a minute, he finally sputtered, “Y-You can’t be serious! This is utter madness - do you really intend to leave Tangea, by yourself, and join those crude space patrollers? _Against my wishes_?”

Faltering, she almost gave in. _I’ve never gone against him like this before... I’ve done things in secret that I know he wouldn’t like, but I’ve never directly disobeyed him._ “F-Father, this is something I have to do. Please, say you’ll allow it!”

“No!”

She gulped. “Then this is the way it’s going to have to be. I-I-I’ll go without your permission. One way or another, I’m leaving.”

His face grew noticeably paler, and he shook his head. “You can’t! I won’t let you! Mira, listen to me, I’m trying to stop you from making a terrible mistake - one that could cost you your life!”  He narrowed his eyes. “Besides, you can’t leave. You don’t have a ship, and I certainly won’t provide you with one.”

“They’ve got one.” Mira jerked her finger towards the Jo-Adians. “And they’re heading exactly where I want to go. Sounds perfect to me.”

“I... I...” His mouth quivered. “Don’t do this, Mira! Don’t! If you do, I’ll never speak to you again!”

“Funny,” she spat, “that’s exactly what I said to you when you forbade me from seeing Romac. I guess now you know how I felt, huh?” Turning away, she called over her shoulder, “I’m going to pack my things.”

She walked out the room and stormed down the hall, heading for her chambers. On the way, she passed Cygni, and she shot the girl a dark look. _I can’t believe I’m taking your advice. I wish I didn’t have to._

Reaching her room, she pulled out a suitcase from the closet and began piling dresses inside. When she realised she’d never fit them all in and still have room for her other possessions, she emptied the case and started over. _I don’t even need all these - I can buy new clothes when I’m on Capital Planet. These dresses are too fancy anyway._ She chose three from the pile, folded them and placed them in the case, then rushed to the dresser and flung open the drawers. Armfuls of clothes and miscellaneous knickknacks were tossed into the rapidly filling case. Once she’d taken everything she wanted from the drawers, she scanned the room. A few more items were added to the luggage as she spotted treasures she didn’t want to part with, and at last she felt ready to close the case.

 _There._ Rising with the suitcase in hand, she took one last look at her room. Her eyes drifted to the Star Command posters lining the walls. _One day I’ll work there. I’ll be a Ranger._

She was about to turn away, but something else on the wall caught her eye. _The... The picture..._ There, hanging beside a white and green poster displaying the blue Star Command emblem, was the photograph her father had given her two years before. Mira eyed it uncertainly. _Do I really want to take it? It’ll only bring back unpleasant memories._

And yet... There was something soothing about the cheerfulness of her family in the picture. And she had so few photos of her mother...

 _Oh, craters, I guess I should take it!_ Hastily opening the suitcase again, she grabbed the picture and slipped it in.

* * *

 _What have I done?_ It was one of his worst fears realised - Mira was running away, just like Cerise. _And just like with Cerise, it’s all my fault. I drove her to this!_

 After Mira had announced her desire to leave and had gone to pack, King Nova left the docking bay and roamed through the palace, lost in thought, until he found himself on a deserted balcony. He recognised it as the balcony he’d followed Mira to on that fateful night he’d discovered her relationship with Romac. _I wonder if I did the right thing then..._

Of course he had. He couldn’t have allowed her to remain in contact with that Grounder, could he?

And yet, even this logic did little to comfort him. _That was the day I lost her - the day our relationship took a turn for the worse._ Perhaps if he’d acted differently, she wouldn’t be leaving now.

 _But what else could I do? I chose the only sensible option available - she may not have liked it, but that’s because she’s so young and naive._ It was the same with his refusal to let her become a Space Ranger. He was simply acting in her best interests - could he help it if she didn’t see it that way? _It’s not my fault she’s leaving. If she wants to make a dreadful mistake, that’s her problem. She’ll be back once she realises what a fool she’s been._

There was a knock on the wall. “Your Majesty?”

 _Blast, I came here to be alone! How do those guards always know where to find me?_ “Yes?”

There was a nervous pause. “Your... Your daughter asked the Jo-Adians if they would allow her to travel with them aboard their ship... and they agreed. The ship will be departing soon - Princess Mira requested your presence in the hangar to... say goodbye.”

Nova shut his eyes, and the slim hope he’d held that Mira was bluffing faded. “I...” _She’ll be back. She just needs to see the error of her ways._ “No. Tell her I’m not coming.”

“Very well, Your Highness.” He heard the echoes of the guard’s footsteps as he left.

_Mira’s a smart girl, despite her occasionally lapses in judgement. She won’t stay away long - after all, even Cerise came back..._

Cerise. The other woman he’d driven away. She and Mira were so much alike. _If she were alive today, she probably would have supported Mira._

And the reason she wasn’t alive was _because_ she came back.

 _No, no! I mustn’t think like that. Mira will be fine. Coming back here is a lot safer than joining those Space Rangers._      

This thought did little to reassure him, for he realised if she didn’t come back, and was hurt while at Star Command, it would be his fault for driving her away. _Oh, cosmos, why I have I been such a fool? Why wasn’t I more patient with her? Perhaps that would have been enough to keep her here. If only I’d agreed to take her to the surface all those years ago when she asked - if I had, she never would have met that Grounder, we never would have had that fight, and we’d still have a decent relationship!_

He’d made so many mistakes, done so many things wrong as he struggled through the process of raising a daughter who was just as stubborn as him but saw the world so differently, and now he had so many regrets. _Cerise, if only you were here. You would have helped me through all this - I wouldn’t have had to do it alone. We always made such a good team._ But now he was alone - Cerise was gone, and soon Mira would be too.

 _No, not if I can help it!_ Perhaps if he stopped Mira before she left, and talked to her, he could make her see reason. Or at least say goodbye. 

With his mind made up, a sense of urgency gripped him and he rushed off the balcony, running through the halls, and at last stopping breathlessly inside the docking bay. The ship... Where was the ship? “You there,” he yelled to one of the guards, “where’s the Jo-Adian vessel that arrived some time ago to deliver supplies?’

“It left shortly before you arrived, Your Majesty.”

“It _what_?”

“It left.”

 _No..._ He stared out the open hangar doors, catching sight of a shrinking speck rising through the sky. _She’s gone._


	17. Chapter Sixteen: New Beginnings

Mira sat on a packing crate in the cargo ship’s hold, watching the clouds rush past as the vessel climbed through the atmosphere. Her father’s refusal to see her off still stung, but it was overshadowed by the excitement she felt. Her life was taking a new direction, and at last a dream was coming true.

Folding her arms over her hunched legs and leaning against the wall, she felt rather than heard the hum of the engine and the slightly unnerving rattle of loose parts knocking against each other. There were several panels on the walls which didn’t match the colour or texture of the bulkheads around them, indicating a patch job, and the strip of lights that lined the ceiling flickered continuously. It was, as she’d heard Gramps Munchapper say, a jalopy. However, she’d never been aboard a space craft before, and to her it seemed amazing.

“Enjoyin’ the ride, eh, youngster?” She glanced up to see Booster’s grandfather had entered. “Just here to make sure you’re okay. We don’t often have royalty travellin’ with us, you know.”

“I’m fine,” she answered, getting to her feet. The room seemed to spin and suddenly she found herself desperately trying to regain balance as the floor tilted beneath her feet.

“Careful there, girl.” Gramps caught her arm and steadied her. “You’re not used to this, eh? You don’t have your space legs yet.” He brought her back to the crate, and she sat down, rubbing her head.

“Yeah.” _Ugh, I feel dizzy._ “Thanks.” Resting her head against the wall again, she smiled weakly to the old man. “I guess I’ll need to get used to space travel if I want to become a Ranger.”

He nodded. “You’ll do fine. Most ships ain’t quite as shaky as this one anyway.”

With a sigh, Mira closed her eyes. “I can’t wait to get to Capital Planet. I’ve never been off-planet before - this is going to be so exciting!” _Maybe I should get some sleep along the way. It’s going to be a long trip..._

An hour later, she was rudely awoken by the ship jostling about, which launched her forward. Groaning and trying to ignore the pain caused by her sudden impact with the floor, she raised her head and blearily looked around.

“It’s okay,” called Booster from the cockpit. “Just a little turbulence!”

 _Easy for you to say._ She tried to push herself up, but the rocking of the ship flung her back, and only by grabbing a pipe on the wall was she able to pull herself to her feet. Clinging to it, she staggered forward inch by inch until she reached the cockpit. “I don’t think I like this...”

Booster frowned in concern. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” A wave of dizziness had come over her, followed by a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. “I... Ugh...”  Clamping a hand over her mouth, she stumbled to the small bathroom that adjoined the galley.

Behind her, she heard Gramps chuckle to Booster, “Looks like we’ve got a case of space sickness.”

* * *

“We’re here!” Booster’s excited voice filled Mira with relief, and she let out a grateful sigh as the ship touched down.

Emerging from the bathroom, she took a few hesitant steps forward, and was pleased to find the floor remained steady. “So... We’re really here?”

Booster nodded vigorously. “We’re outside the Academy!” He pointed to the windows, through which the Academy grounds were visible.

A large green field filled with training equipment was the first thing Mira noticed, and then she saw the row of barracks and the two imposing towers emblazoned with the Star Command emblem. Above the barracks and beside the towers were several landed Star Cruisers, which she surmised were used for training. Cadets in white and green uniforms dotted the grounds, some coming in and out of the barracks, and others using the training equipment. “Wow...”

“I know!” Booster pulled on his ears in excitement. “It’s so great! Oh my gosh, I can’t believe we’re finally here! I’m actually going to become a Space Ranger!”

Smiling at his enthusiasm, Mira turned to Gramps Munchapper. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

“Hold your moozles, kid, there’s no rush,” he chuckled. “Lemme get the hatch open first.”

“Okay, you do that. I’ll wait for you in the lobby.” And in a flash she’d jumped through the wall and landed on the soft green grass. Brushing her skirt clean, she hurried across the field towards the entrance to one of the Academy buildings. Several cadets paused to stare at her, and she waved at them.

Reaching the grandiose steps that led up to the building, she stopped to catch her breath. Out the corner of her eye she could see the Jo-Adians plodding across the grounds, Gramps leaning on Booster for support as he hobbled along. Flashing them a smile, she continued up the steps and entered the lobby.

White and blue seemed to be the only colours the decorator had known, for the walls, ceiling and floor were a sterile, hospital-like white, while the furniture was cyan. One half of the room was filled with chairs, and Mira dropped into one as she waited. The other half of the room was lined with desks, operated by receptionists who were answering calls, filing paperwork, and dealing with cadets. The blue wings and rings of the Star Command insignia were scattered throughout the room - on desks, walls, computers, chairs, and even the water cooler. It was very different from the decor Mira had known at the palace, and she found it stark and cold.

Booster and his grandfather entered a few minutes after she did, and the princess rose to join them at one of the desks.

“Good morning.” The receptionist, a green-skinned woman with large ears, leaned forward and smiled to them. “How can I help you?”

Booster put his hands on the desk eagerly. “We’re here to enter the Academy. My name’s Booster Munchapper, this is Gramps - he’s not joining, by the way - and this is Mira.”

“Munchapper... Munchapper...” The woman entered the name into her computer. “Ah, here it is - Booster Munchapper. Your application was accepted, so you’re due to take the entrance exam. The exam offices are just down the hall, and there’ll be an instructor waiting for you when you arrive. He’ll tell you what to do.”

“Oh boy!” Hugging Gramps and Mira, Booster headed for the hall. “Wish me luck!”

Mira gave him a thumbs up. “It’ll be a piece of cake.”

Leaning forward, the receptionist looked at her. “And what’s your name, ma’am?”

“Mira - Mira N-Nova.”

“Nova... Hmm, we don’t seem to have that name on file. Did you submit an application to us?”

Mira gulped and shook her head. It hadn’t occurred to her until now that she still needed to apply before she could take the entrance exam. “N-N-No, I w-was going to, but I-I didn’t...” _Because Father wouldn’t let me._ “I wasn’t exactly planning to come here today, otherwise I would have.”

The green woman chewed her lip. “Well... I might be able to arrange something. We had a cancellation today, so there’s an opening this afternoon for you to take the exam. However, you’ll still need to fill out the application form so we can ensure you have the necessary qualifications to join.”

Relief swept over Mira, and she beamed. “Sure! I’ll do that right now!” Taking the form that the woman handed her, she began filling it out.

“So...” Putting her elbows on the table and interlacing her fingers, the receptionist leaned forward. “You said your name is Mira Nova, and if I were to take a guess, I’d say you’re Tangean. You don’t happen to be related to King Nova of Tangea, do you?”

“Uh...” _Craters, I didn’t want anyone to find out about that._ “Well, um, I-I, uh... Yeah,” she sighed at last. “I’m his daughter.”

The woman blinked. “His daughter? But... that would mean you’re the princess...”

Mira smiled nervously and shrugged. “Well, there goes my secret.”       

“What’s someone like you doing here, of all places?”

“I... I have my reasons.”

After she finished filling out the form, she handed it to the receptionist who studied it for a minute then beamed. “Everything seems to be in order. Normally we’d run deeper checks before accepting your application, but I think we can make an exception for the princess of Tangea. I’ll put you down for the three o’clock exam.”

“Thank you.” Mira steepled her fingers, waiting for the woman to finish entering her details into the computer. “Um... If I’m accepted, will I stay here at the Academy, or will I have to find a place of my own?”

“Whichever your prefer. We have dormitories for cadets who’d rather live on campus, however it will add to your fees if you go with that option.”

Mira shrugged. “I’m sure renting an apartment costs a lot too, and this way I wouldn’t have to do any travelling to reach the campus. I think I’ll stay here.”

“Okay.” The woman nodded. “Do you want to wait here till it’s time for your exam, or will you come back later?”

“Uh...” She checked the clock on the wall. _10:43 - it’s still hours until three!_ Rubbing her head, she suddenly realised how tired she was. She’d only gotten an hour of sleep during the trip, and the time zone change was taking its toll on her. “I think I’ll try to get a little sleep, then I’ll explore the city a bit - maybe get something to eat - and come back when it’s time for my exam.”

* * *

The architecture was... different. Stepping out into the street, Mira surveyed the city. Tall buildings of all shapes and colours filled the landscape, and it looked to her as if no forethought had been put into the city’s design. Instead of complementing each other, the buildings clashed, and none looked alike. It was a confusion of colours, shapes, sizes, and textures, all competing for attention. It had all the hallmarks of a city that had sprung up quickly, with structures being erected as needed, with no concern for the general aesthetic of the area.

The wide, clean streets were a light grey, occasionally broken up by patches of green in areas where grass was allowed to grow. Cars flew overhead, sometimes landing to drop off passengers, and people wandered the streets. Like the buildings, they were an eclectic lot, made up of many different species. Some Mira was familiar with, while others were entirely new to her.

Feeling hungry, she started looking for a place to grab some food. After scanning the area for several minutes, she located a diner and marched in.

As someone used to food being delivered straight to her room each day, she found it odd that people would congregate at a crowded establishment like this, at cramped tables and among strangers, just for a bite of lunch. Dozens of smells filled her nostrils when she entered - the scent of spices, pastries, oils, freshly-cut vegetables, sizzling meat, and other cooking aromas wafted in from the kitchen, while the customers themselves each smelled different. She was glad she had such a small nose, otherwise it would have been overpowering.  

Taking a seat at an empty table in a deserted corner of the room, she opened the menu and looked through the choices it displayed. Few of the foods or drinks were recognisable, and she stared at the options for several minutes before making her decision. “Waiter!”

A blue man with three arms made his way to her table. “What’ll it be, Miss?”

Glancing at the menu one last time, she answered, “I’ll have the synth salad and a cup of hot coffee, please.”

“Coming right up.”

Mira sank deeper into her chair as she settled down to wait, drumming her fingers on the table. The nap she’d taken in the Academy lobby had refreshed her slightly, but her eyes still ached with tiredness and she had to fight the urge to yawn. _I hope that coffee gets here soon._

When the waiter came back, she grabbed the steaming cup off the tray, almost spilling it in her haste, while the waiter placed a leafy bowl of salad on the table. “Will there be anything else, Miss?”

“No, thanks, just bring me the bill.” Mira gingerly raised the hot cup to her lips and blew away the steam. After taking a few sips, she put it down and dug in her pockets for the money to pay for her meal. Pulling out a handful of notes, she began to finger through them, placing several on the table. _That should cover it._ She glanced at the leftover money. _Twenty-three unibucks - surely that’s not all I have left? I thought I’d brought more. Oh, well. I can ask..._ And then it hit her - she had no way to get more money. Her father was the one who always provided her with money when she needed it. But she couldn’t go to him anymore - he certainly wouldn’t be willing to give her money for her tuition.

Panic began to sweep over her. _What am I going to do? I’ve come this far, I’m not just going to give up! But I don’t have any money..._ She dropped her head into her hands. _I don’t know what to do._

After despairing for several minutes, hunger got the best of her and she returned to her coffee and salad. The meal made her feel slightly better, and she took the money to the counter to pay for her food. “Here.” She handed over the money to the girl at the counter. “The food was great, thanks.”

The girl smiled. “Glad you liked it. Have a nice day, hon.”

“Thanks, you too.” As Mira took the change she was given, she noticed a sign on the wall. An idea came to her, which she dismissed at first as crazy, then decided to try. “So, uh, you’re looking for more employees?” She jerked her thumb towards the sign, which read, ‘help wanted’.

“Yeah.” The girl nodded. “We need a couple of waiters to work nights.”

 _Perfect._ “Who can I talk to about applying for one of those jobs?” If her father could have seen her now, trying to get a job as a waitress in crowded little diner, he would have been horrified.

* * *

“Hello, Princess Nova!” The receptionist waved to Mira when she returned to the Academy. “Just in time.”

“Hi.” Mira winced at the use of her official title. “Can I go in for my exam now?”

“In a few minutes.” The green woman leaned forward. “Did you have fun exploring the city?”

Mira nodded. “Yeah. I looked around a bit and got some lunch.” _And a job._

“Mira!” Turning around, she discovered Booster and Gramps had entered.

“Hey, guys! How did it go?”

Booster shrugged. “I didn’t pass the entrance exam.”

“Aw, I’m sorry.” Her face fell, and fear crept into her heart. _What if I fail too?_

“It’s okay,” he assured her. “I’ll study the Space Ranger Mission Manual some more and try again next year. Besides,” his eyes shone with excitement, “I heard about an opening on Star Command for a janitor, so I’m going there! Even if I won’t be an actual Space Ranger, I can still be among them. It’ll be great! Maybe I’ll even see Buzz again!”

Mira raised an eyebrow. “Wow, you got a job too? That’s great. I got one myself today.”

“Cool!” He pulled her into a crushing hug. “Well, Gramps and I have got to go now. But I’m sure we’ll see each other again! After all, we’re both going to be Rangers some day!”

“Yeah,” Mira laughed, freeing herself from his arms. “Good luck, Booster.”

He beamed. “Same to you, Mira! See you around!” He waved to her, and Gramps nodded respectfully.

“It was nice meeting you, youngster.”

Mira waved back to them. “Likewise.” After they left, she trudged down the hall to the exam office. She tentatively opened one of the doors, her heart pounding now that the moment had finally arrived. Booster’s failure to pass had made her even more nervous, and she clenched her teeth anxiously. _I’m going to fail, I know it. The last time I studied the Space Ranger Mission Manual was two years ago, before Father forbade me to join. What if I don’t remember anything?_ She stepped inside, and was greeted by her instructor.

“All right, Miss Nova, are you ready to begin?”

 _No._ “I-I guess s-so.”

Several hours later, she sat in the lobby again, her weary eyes closed and her arms folded. The results would be in soon, and she’d find out if her efforts had met with success or if it had all been in vain. Rules and regulations were still flashing through her head, adding to her anxiety. _I bet I got some of them wrong. I know I couldn’t have gotten them all right, and even a few little mistakes could cost me the test. What if I didn’t pass the physical either? Maybe I’m not good enough to be a Ranger! Oh, cosmos, why don’t they hurry up with those results?_

The sky was beginning to darken outside, and a chill had entered the air. If she didn’t pass the exam and gain entry into the Academy, she wouldn’t get to stay at the Academy dorm... and if she didn’t stay at the dorm, then she wouldn’t have anywhere else to go. _I can’t afford a hotel room - I’d have to spend the night on the streets!_ Going from luxury to vagrancy in one day was _not_ a pleasant prospect.

“Princess?”

Her eyes flew open, and she sat up straight, a surge of fear and adrenaline running through her. “Yes?”

The receptionist laced her fingers. “Your results have just come in.”

“Yeah?” Mira scrambled out the chair and was beside the desk in a flash. “And?”

“Congratulations.” The woman’s face broke into a wide smile. “You’re our newest cadet.”


	18. Chapter Seventeen: The First Day

“This is your room, Miss Nova.” After being led down a spotless white hall through the barracks, Mira was shown to her new quarters.

Thanking the officer who had escorted her there, she stepped inside and tossed her suitcase onto a small couch. There was a glass table in the centre of the room, and a bed off to one side, while a desk stood in the corner. It was a cramped space, completely devoid of any personal touches, but it was her new home, and she resolved to like it.

Mira settled onto the bed, flinching at the hardness of the mattress. Her bed back at Tangea was so soft and comfortable, while this one was thin and rigid. _It’s going to take a while to get used to this place_ , she thought with a sigh, and the first real pangs of homesickness began to set in. What if she’d made the wrong choice in coming here? Perhaps she would have been better off back at the palace. Life may have been unpleasant at times there, but at least she was used to it. Everything was new and different here; she felt completely out of her element. _It’s too late to go back now, though._ She buried her head into the pillow. _I’ll just have to keep on going, and see where this new life takes me._

Despite the uncomfortable mattress, she slept like a log that night, and awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and excited, ready to face whatever challenges the new day threw at her. Humming as she strolled through the barracks, she waved to the cadets she saw, some of whom waved back, while others ignored her. After visiting one of the instructors, who gave her an overview of what to expect from the Academy, and what would be expected of her, she went to get something to eat.

At the cafeteria, she ordered her breakfast and found an empty table, feeling too nervous to join any of the other cadets at their tables. The atmosphere in the room was bright and cheerful, filled with the chatter of young men and women, while plates and forks chinked pleasantly as they ate. Mira downed her coffee eagerly, wondering what was in store for her that day. According to the schedule she’d received, she had to be measured for her space suit after breakfast, then go for a workout on the grounds. _Sounds easy enough._

Unfortunately, she’d never been more wrong. Having her measurements taken was easy enough, but nothing could have prepared her for the workout. It started all right - she and the rest of the new recruits assembled in a row outside the barracks, and an instructor strode up to them and looked them over.

“Kids,” he bellowed, “up till now you’ve had it easy. You think the Academy will be a piece of cake. Well, it isn’t. This is where the real work begins, so those of you who can’t handle it had better clear off right now, because there’s no place in my class for slackers or weaklings. Understood?”

Although slightly unnerved by the instructor’s harsh manner, Mira and rest of the cadets assumed he was exaggerating, and they all proudly assured him they could handle whatever came their way.

“Oh, so you think you’re tough, eh? Well, we’ll see.” The instructor surveyed the group with what looked like contempt, then startled them by yelling, “Twenty laps around the track - get to it. _Now_!”

Mira opened her mouth to protest, as did many of the other cadets, but the glare they received quickly quelled any attempts to argue. Staring down at the flowing dress she wore, Mira wished her suit was ready, for she was in no way dressed for running. However, with the instructor staring at them so intensely, there was little alternative, and she fell in line among the jogging cadets. A cool breeze blew through the grounds, making the run slightly more bearable, but Mira still found herself sweating and out of breath after the first lap. And there were still nineteen more to go.

To make matters worse, the instructor kept yelling at them to pick up their pace, furiously berating anyone who began to lag behind. As someone unused to jogging - or any other kind of exercise, for that matter - she quickly found herself on the receiving end of this castigation. It was all she could do to keep her mouth shut, for she felt utterly insulted by his words and wanted to yell back. She was Princess Mira Nova, heir to the Tangea throne - how dare someone speak to her this way! But common sense prevailed, and she remained silent, though she sent seething looks at the instructor whenever he had his head turned.

Finally, the twenty laps were over, and she fell to the grass with the rest of the cadets, panting and wiping sweat from her face, all the while trying to keep her breakfast down. The running had induced a strong feeling of nausea within her, not to mention an ache in her side and an unbearable dryness in her throat. Her head throbbed agonisingly, and she rested it on the cool grass.

“What do you think you’re doing?” barked the instructor. “Did I say you could rest? Get off the grass, you slackers, and give me some pushups!”

Some of the cadets groaned, while others like Mira stared at the instructor in disbelief. _I practically killed myself out there on the track! He can’t expect me to do_ more _exercise! I’m done for the day!_ Clenching her fists, she shakily got to her feet and scowled. “This is crazy! We’re already worn out! Haven’t we done enough for one day? Why should we do more?”

The instructor narrowed his eyes. “First of all, kid, you will always, _always_ address your superiors as ‘sir’ or ‘ma’am’. Is that clear? And secondly, I already told you that if you can’t handle the work, then get out of here, because we don’t want you. We only have room for people who are one hundred percent committed to becoming a Ranger - anything less just ain’t good enough!” He swept his eyes over her, a scowl spreading across his face. “Your fancy clothes and your lazy, ‘I’m too good for this attitude’ all tell me you’re probably not cut out for this. So why don’t you just go home and get out of the way of the people who really _are_ cut out for this?”

Mira found herself fighting back tears, and more than anything she wanted to do as the instructor said and run back home to her father. Even in his wildest tempers, he’d never spoken so harshly to her, and those occasions when he had yelled were forgotten now, replaced by memories of his warm embraces and kind words. Why had she left all that? Was becoming a Space Ranger really worth the effort? Was it even possible for someone like her to make it through the Academy?

These doubts gnawed at her mind, but something stronger than doubt prevented her from crying or running away. Her stubbornness flared up, and she determined not to give the instructor the satisfaction of seeing her crumple under his abuse. “I _am_ cut out for this, and nothing you can say will make me quit, _sir_. If I wasn’t committed to being a Ranger, I wouldn’t be here.” Getting down to the ground, she prepared to begin the pushups.

“Hold it, kid,” the instructor growled. “So you think you have what it takes? Fair enough. But I won’t stand for any insubordination. Your little outburst has earned you another ten laps around the track. Get moving!” He turned to the other cadets, who were currently engaged in pushups. “Same goes for you! When one of you screws up, you all pay the price, got that?”

There were groans among the cadets, and mutters of ‘that’s not fair!’ The instructor merely rolled his eyes. “Life’s not fair, so get over it! Now _move_!”

* * *

The exhausted cadets shuffled into the cafeteria, ordering ice water and other cold drinks, then dropping into their chairs. Mira took a carton of ice cream and nibbled spoonfuls of it while rubbing her aching feet. The morning had been simply horrendous, and she’d never been more grateful to hear a lunch bell ring.

“Hey. You’re new here, right?” Looking up, Mira saw another cadet standing before her. The young woman had short black hair, green skin, and one large eye that took up most of her face. That single eye was one of her _least_ unusual features, however. The woman’s body was normal down to her waist, then it stretched out horizontally and ended in a thick tail. She had four hoofed feet and two arms, and if Mira had been familiar with human mythology, she would have likened her to a centaur. 

“Hi,” Mira greeted her. “Yeah, I’m new.”

“So am I. I’ve only been here a few weeks.” The young woman rested her hands on the table. “My name’s Daphne Thornhoof.”

“Mira Nova.” Mira extended her hand, and Daphne shook it.

“I hear you had a rough morning.” She patted Mira’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, honey. We all have it extra tough at first. The instructors yell at us constantly, the workouts are terrible, and there’s never a moment to rest.”

Mira nodded. “Does it get better?”

“Oh, yeah, sure!” Daphne laughed. “It’ll still be tough, but after a week or two things will improve. Everyone will be nicer to you, and the work won’t be quite so bad. They’re just giving you a hard time now to prepare you for what lies ahead - so you’ll know if this is what you really want to do. Because if you can’t take what they dish out on the first day, then you’re probably in the wrong line of work. They want to weed out the people who shouldn’t be Rangers, so that only the best cadets are left.” She smiled. “If you can hang in a little longer, it’ll be okay. You just have to get through the next week without fainting or quitting.”

Groaning amiably, Mira answered, “Easier said than done. This is like some sort of torture camp! We were running outside in the hot sun for hours this morning, and after that we had to do pushups!”

Daphne giggled. “You should have seen me on my first day. I got through the running fine - I am a Cytaurian, after all, and we’re born runners - but the same four legs that make running easy make pushups impossible! Eventually the instructor had to assign me different exercises from everyone else, because I just couldn’t do most of the things they did.” Her giggling subsided, and she grew more serious. “That’s been the case most of my life. Honey, in a universe filled with bipeds, it isn’t easy to be a quadruped. Oh, we manage, but it’s always hard to make a life for ourselves on other worlds. But I knew I wanted to be a Space Ranger, and although certain things are harder for me than for most other people, I’ve done all right so far. I’m going to be the first Cytaurian Space Ranger, and nothing’s going to steer me away from that goal.”

After the despair and frustration of the morning, Mira’s resolve had been waning, but Daphne’s words brought it back in full force. “Wow, that’s... that’s really great.”

Daphne blushed. “No, it’s nothing. I just want to do my part for the citizens of the universe.”

Nodding, Mira remembered the reason she’d wanted to be a Ranger. _I came here because I want to make a difference - I want to help people._ And she wanted to explore the universe and get away from her father, but those reasons were forgotten in the midst of her restored zeal for Justice. “This is the best job there is, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” agreed Daphne.

* * *

The rest of the day passed with less difficulty, consisting of a lecture at the auditorium and one last run around the track. After supper, Mira returned to her new room and collapsed onto the bed. It hadn’t been the best day of her life, but it wasn’t the worst either, and now that it was over it didn’t seem as bad as when she was enduring it.

Her suitcase lay unopened on the floor, but she was too tired to unpack, and instead crawled into bed. Just before she turned off the lights, she remembered that her shift at the diner began in several hours. “Oh, craters,” she cursed. It would be her first day on the job, so she could hardly take the night off.

“I hate my life,” she murmured, setting the alarm clock and dimming the lights. Sleep came swiftly, and it seemed as if only minutes had passed before the alarm rang, rudely rousing her from her slumber.

“Ugh.” She crawled further beneath the covers, then remembered her job. “Fine, fine, I’m getting up!” Hitting the off button on the alarm clock, she rose from the bed. A moan escaped her lips as her aching muscles protested against the movement, and she clenched her teeth in pain. _Sweet Mother of Venus!_

Pulling off her nightgown, she slipped into a dress and ran a comb through her hair, too tired to improve her appearance any further, even neglecting to apply makeup or wear her earrings. After putting on her shoes, she left the dorm and walked across the darkened grounds, eventually coming to the street. Light streamed down from the lamps lining the road, and cars flying overhead cast light down from their headlights. Pulling up her collar to keep out the chill, Mira strolled down the street until she came to the diner.

Although less busy than when she was there the day before for lunch, the diner was still crowded, and she had to push past several patrons to get to the counter. Introducing herself to the woman behind it, she was soon shown to the kitchen where she received an apron and a data pad to record orders. The head waiter explained what she was supposed to do, and before she knew what was happening, she’d been sent out to one of the tables to take down a young family’s orders.

“H-Hi.” She tried to smile at them. “Are y-you ready to order yet?”

Her shift dragged on for five weary hours, interspersed with minor mishaps like spilt coffee and mixed up orders. By the end of it she felt ready to drop, and wouldn’t have had the strength to walk back to the Academy if she hadn’t been buoyed by the excitement of receiving her first paycheck. It wasn’t a large sum of money, but it was the first money she’d ever earned rather than had handed to her, and that filled her with a huge sense of pride and accomplishment. When she arrived back at her quarters, she had a sudden desire to call her father and tell him about her day - about the anguish of the morning, the new friend she’d made, the things she’d learned at the lecture, the sights she’d seen, the first day of her job, and most of all about the money she’d received for her work. She was bursting to tell someone, and of all the people she knew, her father was the one she most wanted to be proud of her. His respect and pride was something she feared she’d lost when she ran away, and she wondered if the news of her accomplishments would bring them back.

Deciding not to think about how much a direct call from Capital Planet to Tangea would cost, she turned on the vidphone that was installed in the wall and dialled her father’s number. The screen flickered for several seconds, then beeped cheerfully to tell her the call had been answered. Her father’s face appeared on the screen, and even though she knew it wasn’t nearly as late on Tangea as it was on Capital Planet, he had a tired, haggard look. His hair was unkempt, and his eyes were bloodshot. She wondered if he’d had any sleep since she’d run away, and guilt stabbed at her for a moment. “H-Hello, Daddy.”

“Mira?” He stared at her, then his face hardened. “What do you want? Have you finally realised what a fool you’ve been and decided to come home?”

This... wasn’t quite the kind of greeting she was hoping for. “No, Father.” Swallowing her anger, she smiled. “I wanted to tell you about my day. It’s so great here - okay, certain things aren’t so great, but a lot of it is, and -”

“Look at you.” He ignored her babbling. “You’ve only been among those simians two days, and already you look just like them. I know you’ve never carried yourself with as much royal dignity as you should, but at least you were always tidy and elegant. Now your clothes are a mess, your hair is positively dreadful, and you have the most unbecoming bags under your eyes. Why, it almost looks like you’ve been doing manual labour!”

“Maybe I have.” She folded her arms. “Besides, you don’t look so great yourself.”

“Forgive me, child, but for some unfathomable reason I have been too consumed with anxiety over you to bother with my appearance. Though why I am wasting my time worrying over you, I don’t know, since you clearly have so little concern for your own well-being. Why else would you choose to live among those outworlders and even become one of them?” His hand formed a fist. “You have taken leave of your senses, and I don’t have time to deal with you right now. I can only hope you eventually see the error of your ways and return home. Good day!” He brought his fist down on the vidphone controls, and the screen went black.

Mira fell to the couch, putting her face in her hands and giving in to the tears she’d been bottling up since she left Tangea. Her body shook as she sobbed, and she hugged her knees to steady herself. _Why is he always so horrible? Why can’t he ever just be happy for me, even if I’m not living up to his standards?_

She would have continued to sob, perhaps until morning, if a knock on the door hadn’t interrupted her. “Cadet Nooova?”

Raising her head and wiping away the tears, she called back, “Yes?”

“Package for you.” The voice was high, and certain syllables were drawn out longer than they should have been. “Your Pulsar 400 Enviro-Suit is ready.”

“My what?” She stopped at the door for a moment, confused, then snapped her fingers. “Oh, right, my space suit!” Although she was still upset over the incident with her father, she managed a smile when she realised she was about to get her new suit. Opening the door, she peered into the hall, letting out a surprised breath when she didn’t see anyone. “Hello?”

“Right here, Rangerrr.” Lowering her gaze, she came face to face with a knee-high little green man, who had three eyes and a short antenna coming out the top of his head. In his chubby hands was a folded space suit, the familiar white and green standing out in the darkness of the hall.

“Hello,” Mira smiled, bending down and taking the suit. “Thank you.”

“Tomorrooow you will learn how to operate it,” the green alien told her. “Gooood night!”

Waving to him as he left, Mira returned to her room, gazing proudly at the suit in her hands. It was both heavier than she thought it would be, and more flexible. Laying it out on the bed and unfolding it, she beamed with pride when she saw the blue wings of the Star Command emblem. _This is my future,_ she thought. _One day I’m going to wear this badge when I’m out in the galaxy, upholding Justice and doing good._ She breathed a sigh of contentment. _My dream is a lot closer to reality today._


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Training

The suit was a perfect fit, though Mira was slightly embarrassed by how form-fitting it was. Alongside her physical training, lectures, and interplanetary law studies, she now had daily classes with the little green men, who showed her the suit’s features and how to use them. The communicator was easy, and she soon mastered the suit’s built-in scanners as well. The laser, however, proved more of a challenge. After a few days at the shooting range using conventional hand lasers, she’d realised she had excellent aim - a skill she suspected her father would attribute to Tangean mental superiority - so she shouldn’t have had any trouble with the wrist laser. However, although having a laser on her arm was more convenient than traditional weaponry, it took a lot of getting used to, and she struggled for several days before becoming comfortable with it.

The next piece of equipment she needed to master was the jetpack. At first she’d looked forward to this lesson, thinking it would be fun to learn to fly. However, the more she thought about it, the more she began to dread it, for she felt doubtful she’d be able to handle such a powerful piece of technology. Disaster scenarios ran through her mind - the engines giving out while she was in the air, the jetpack running out of fuel, the wings getting damaged, the engines exploding, a wrong turn sending her crashing into a wall - there were so many things that could go wrong, and when the day came to begin her first lesson, her knees were shaking.

Her fears were alleviated somewhat when the LGMs explained she wouldn’t be controlling the jetpack on her first flight - it would be under their control, and she’d merely be along for the ride. The purpose of the exercise was to get her accustomed to the feel of the jetpack and the sensation of flight, until she was ready to handle the device on her own.

Feeling reassured, though still anxious, she allowed the LGMs to attach the jetpack to her back, all the while hoping fervently that nothing would go wrong. She was taken to an empty hangar, and the LGMs made her climb a steep ladder until she could almost touch the ceiling.

“Now what, guys?” The ground was a long, long way down, and she clung tightly to the rungs of the ladder.

“Let go.”

Her mouth dropped open. “W-W-What?”

“It will be all riiight.”

“B-But... I’m not going to let go! That’s crazy!” She pressed against the ladder, clinging as tightly as she could.

“Truuust us. It will be fuuun.”

She shot them a glare, but the little green aliens sounded determined to get their own way, and she knew they wouldn’t ask her to do it if there was any risk... right?

Taking a deep breath, she peeled her fingers off the rungs and leaned forward, letting herself fall. The ground which had looked so far away a moment ago suddenly grew alarmingly closer, and she shut her eyes. _I’m going to die!_ Before she hit the ground, however, something incredible happened. A low whine filled her ears, and she felt the jetpack come to life, pulling her away from the ground and up into the air. When she opened her eyes, she found she was soaring through the hangar, zipping around like a small bird or an insect.

“Holy pulsars, this is amazing!” Spreading out her arms, she laughed and whooped with delight, waving to the LGMs below.

“Seeee, we said it would be fun.”

As a girl, she’d often watched birds fly past the palace, and had sometimes wondered what it would be like to be one of them - to fly through the air with no fear of falling, only an exhilarating feeling of freedom. Now she was doing just that, and she was overwhelmed by how amazing it was.

Fear occasionally marred the experience, such as when the LGMs increased the speed of the jetpack and she was afraid she’d crash, but it wasn’t long before she was entirely at ease in the air, and didn’t want to come down. After she assumed the right posture, she found it wasn’t as uncomfortable as she’d suspected, and the suit protected her from the heat of the engines.

At last, the LGMs told her it was time to come down, and she slowly began to descend. When she was a few metres above the ground, she swooped into an upright position, and Mira spread her feet out tentatively, touching the ground a few moments later as the jetpack brought her down gently. The wings were retracted back into the pack, and the whine from the engines ceased.

Circling the room so many times had left Mira dizzy, and she was also unused to the feel of ground beneath her feet again. Taking a few unsteady steps forward, she was forced to drop to a sitting position and rub her head. “That was awesome,” she answered the LGMs’ questioning looks.

“Gooood.” The round green heads all nodded in unison. “Tomorrow we will teach you how to controool the guidance systeeem.”

“When will I be able to fly it on my own?” There was a mix of excitement and fear in her voice.

“When you are ready.”

* * *

True to their word, the LGMs showed her the controls. The jetpack had sensors which picked up on her movements and fed this information to the guidance system. Leaning to the right would tell the system she wanted to go right, and the jetpack would respond accordingly. Leaning to the left would make it turn left, leaning down would take her down, and pushing up brought her higher. The sensors also responded to the amount of force she used in her movements, thus a minor move to the left would only result in a slight alteration in her direction, while a sharp move would turn her quickly. Speed itself was controllable based on how far forward she leaned, and pulling back caused the jetpack to slow down or even stop.

It was a simple system, once she was used to it, and the LGMs were soon satisfied enough with her progress to allow her to take the jetpack out on her own. They were still able to control the guidance system should she make a dangerous error, however, and a net was set up across the hangar to catch her in an emergency.

The precautions proved unnecessary, though, for the flight went off without a hitch. It took a few moments for Mira to get used to using the controls, but once she was comfortable with them, she soared through the hangar, swooping low and twisting past corners, rising towards the ceiling then diving to the ground again.

Soon there was no longer any need for her to begin her flights by jumping off ladders, for she mastered take offs within a matter of hours and was able to launch directly from the ground. Landings still left her unsteady, but those too were becoming easier with practice, and the LGMs were delighted with her progress.  

Not all her classes were quite as easy as this, though, and even after the harsh first two weeks passed, she still struggled with her physical training. The instructor was strict at all times, and often forced them to do things she thought were impossible. It slowly dawned on her though that that was the whole point - they weren’t just exercising so they’d be physically fit; they were being trained to stretch their limits and do the impossible when the need arose. However, this was of little comfort when she was sprawled on the floor in a sweaty heap and the instructor was asking them to run another ten laps.

She fared better in some of the other classes. There were history lessons - the history of the Rangers, and basic galactic history, which Mira found fascinating as she hadn’t learned that kind of information on Tangea. Cultural classes were also important, as numerous species filled the ranks of Star Command, and Rangers came into contact with so many different races on their adventures. Mira enjoyed learning about the different cultures - finding out what was acceptable in them, what was taboo, and about some of the unique little idiosyncrasies Rangers might encounter. Other classes were about galactic and planetary laws, as well as the rules and regulations in force at Star Command, while medical classes taught basic first aid such as what to do for a broken limb or laser wound. Technology classes, led by LGMs, discussed the technology used by Space Rangers and how to repair it in emergencies. There was a staggering array of information to be learned at the Academy, and though she found herself a little lost and overwhelmed at times, she revelled in the new experiences she was going through and the interesting things she was learning.

Strategy was added to her lessons a month after she joined, and she began to study historic battles and learn the tactics and strategies behind them.

Despite having no trouble learning the strategies of large scale battles, she had trouble utilising this information on a small scale. One day, when she received the morning schedule, she discovered that she had a new class - hand-to-hand combat. At breakfast, Daphne told her this was an especially difficult class for a Cytaurian, but assured the Tangean she would have no trouble with it.

 _No trouble. Ha._ Lying with her face pressed against the floor and her hands pinned behind her back, Mira felt like strangling both her friend and the instructor who was ‘explaining’ the proper way to restrain someone who was resisting. 

“Once you have them in this position, it’s easy to cuff them and take them into custody,” the instructor told her, helping her up. “There are several other ways to get someone off their feet and incapacitate them, like the Kentorran Leg-Whip. I can show you how to do that one if you -”

“No, no.” Mira quickly shook her head. “Let’s save it for another time, okay?” The instructor was a lot friendlier than many of the others, but enjoyed his job a little too much and seemed to love demonstrating the combat moves on his cadets.

“You’re probably right, there isn’t much time left for today’s lesson, and I still have to teach you Combat Sequence One.” The instructor eagerly crossed the floor mat and reached a collection of training pistols that hung on the wall. “It’s easy to remember - fire, fire, cover, fire, turn, blast. Watch.”

A training robot emerged from a trapdoor in the ceiling, and the instructor scattered several random objects such as tables and chairs throughout the room. Mira watched, out of the way in a corner, feeling glad she wasn’t part of the demonstration this time.

Once the stage was set, the robot came to life, firing a realistic but harmless beam at the instructor. He fired back twice, ducked behind a chair and fired again, then jumped into the open and circled quickly around the robot, letting loose a barrage of laser shots. The unprepared ‘bot fell to ground, several smoking holes in its chest.

“It’s a simple maneuver, really.” The instructor rejoined Mira. “Effective, though. Want to try?”

“Uh, okay. What do I have to do?” She’d already forgotten the sequence he’d mentioned, and his movements had been too quick to take in properly.

“Well, the most important thing to remember about any strategy is that you must minimise your chances of being injured. We want all our Rangers to come back alive, understood? So don’t take unnecessary risks - dive for cover as often as you can,” he told her. “Basically, what you do in this sequence is get in a few shots, take cover, fire again, then swing round and hit them from another direction. Always vary your attack points to maximize damage, unless your opponent is wearing armour, in which case you concentrate fire on one point to weaken it. And,” he smiled, “don’t use the same sequence on each attack. Be unpredictable. You don’t want them to know what you’re going to do next.” 

Mira nodded. “So, can I give it a try now?”

“Sure.”

* * *

In front of the Academy, on the grounds, was an obstacle course which Mira had noticed the day she arrived. She’d seen other cadets use it, but she herself had never been asked to go through it. One day, however, one of the instructors announced that the commander of Star Command was paying one of his regular visits to the Academy, and he’d like two cadets to be randomly selected for a trip round the obstacle course so he could observe their skills and assess how well training was progressing for the cadets. After surveying the class for several minutes, the instructor called out his choices.

“I want Cadet Mira Nova and Cadet Sprocket Crockett to meet the commander and I at the obstacle course after this class is over.”

After getting over her excitement and anxiety at being chosen, Mira glanced at Sprocket. He was a lanky, dark-skinned human, with a thin head and pointy, bearded chin. She’d spoken to him several times in the past, and he’d always seemed like a nice person. Apparently his older brother was also a Space Ranger, and it was this that had inspired Sprocket to join. At the moment his face mirrored hers - thrilled at the honour of being chosen, but afraid of making a mistake out on the course.

After the class was over, they followed their instructor outside to the grounds, where Commander Nebula, current leader of the Space Rangers, was waiting. He was a heavyset man with a deep tan and a lengthy grey moustache. Mira had seen him during his previous visits to the Academy, but she’d never spoken to him directly before, and her apprehension increased now that she was in his presence.

The two cadets came to attention and saluted, and the older man, after saluting back, gruffly told them to stand at ease. “Here’s how it’s gonna be,” he explained, looking towards the obstacle course. “I want the two of you to go through there and try to beat each other to the finish line. No goofing off or breaking the rules - this is a serious test. I wanna judge how well you’re learning your training, and how well the instructors are teaching it to you. So give it your best shot, and for pete’s sake do a good job! We don’t accept anything but the best at Star Command, so if you kids can’t even get through a simple obstacle course properly I will not be impressed, IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?”

Gulping, Mira nodded, as did Sprocket, and they took up their positions at the starting line. _I have to do this right, I have do this right._ Mira’s heart pounded, and she clenched and unclenched her fists as she waited for the Commander to give the signal to start. When he did, she charged forward, trying to keep up with Sprocket, whose long legs made running easy. They soon reached some steps, which slowed them down, and the steps led to a raised platform which was filled with tall obstacles they had to manuever around.

Once past that, they came to a high steel wall covered in holes. From the holes emerged red “mouths” that wiggled and snapped. Mira knew from watching other cadets go through the course that these were the footholds and he had to climb over them while avoiding their jaws. However, her instincts made her keep running, and instead of going over the wall, she simply phased and ran through it, which bought her a big lead. Anxiety then swept over her, for she wondered if she’d broken the rules by not climbing the wall. It was too late to do anything about it now, though, so she pressed on.

Next up was a row of horizontal metal bars of various heights blocking her path, and she jumped, grabbing one and swinging forward to another. From there she swung herself into another stretch of clear track and continued running. Up ahead was another, higher platform, which slowed her some as she went over it, but Sprocket was still behind her, and she soon reached the next obstacle.

A pair of metal jaws stood in front of her, opening and closing with just enough space between them each time they opened for a person to jump through. However, she had no intention of jumping and risking getting stuck between the jaws, however safe they probably were, and instead she ghosted through.

In front of the jaws was a long pool, filled with floating steps. She tentatively put her foot on the first one, losing ground to Sprocket with each second she hesitated, until at last she took another step forward and found that the floating steps held her weight. Then she began to pick up speed, racing across the steps and reaching the end of the pool.

There were no more obstacles after that, but she knew the course wasn’t over yet, and Sprocket was only a few seconds behind her. Pressing the red button on her suit, wings shot out her jetpack and she launched into the air. Instantly the laser cannons surrounding the course came to life, and Mira had to weave to and fro to avoid their blasts. One shot almost clipped her wing, and if it had she would have been out of the race. However, she pulled to the left in time, and the blast missed by a small margin.

After that, the shots stopped, and the rest of the course was a clear flight to the finish line. Sprocket was right behind her, straining as hard as he could to make up the ground he’d lost due to her ghosting, but it was no use. Mira clung desperately to her lead and sailed over the finish line, landing on the soft grass a moment later.

“Nice going,” congratulated Sprocket when he landed next to her. “You won.”

“Uh, yeah, thanks.” Mira bit her lip as Commander Nebula approached, already cringing at what he was going to say. _I should have just gone through the course the way everyone else does, instead of using my powers. I may not have won, but at least I wouldn’t be in trouble._

“Good work, Crockett.” Nebula nodded to the young man. “You did a fine job out there. As for you,” he turned to Mira, and her heart raced with fear, “I’ve never seen anyone go _through_ the obstacles instead of over them. It ain’t the conventional way of doing things...”

Mira looked down. “I’m sorry, sir, I -”

“...but it gets the job done, and a lot quicker too. Your Tangean abilities will be a real asset out on the field if you make it through the Academy. I’m going to be following your progress, Cadet.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “You’ve got the makings of a fine Ranger.”

Mira looked up, stunned. “Y-You mean that, sir?”

“Do I look like someone who hands out compliments right and left like some kiss-up politician? OF COURSE I MEAN IT! Now go back to class!”

“Yes, sir!” Saluting proudly, she joined Sprocket and they made their way back to the Academy buildings.


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Reconciliation

The sky was grey that day, a dismal colour perfectly in line with his mood. King Nova leaned against the railing of the balcony, idly running a hand through his hair. It was the sixteenth anniversary of Cerises’s death, and the usual pain he felt at that time of year was filling him now, however it was stronger this year than it had been for a long time. Losing Mira - even if she wasn’t dead and had simply run away from home - had brought back feelings of loss he’d tried to bury long ago, and now, on the date Cerise had died, he felt more alone than ever.

His world had fallen apart when he lost her, and despite all his efforts to put it back together, it had collapsed once again when Mira left. He’d driven away the only person he had left in his life who he truly loved, and there was little chance of getting her back. His bitter reply when she tried to contact him after arriving at the Academy had seen to that. She would probably remain on Capital Planet now, and only return to Tangea after he was dead so she could assume the throne - if she was even willing to do that.

 _Everything has gone so wrong._ He put his hand against his forehead. _This isn’t the way I wanted my life to be._ Whenever he’d thought about his future, he’d always imagined himself and Cerise happily managing the kingdom together, while Mira grew into a fine young Tangean woman who learned all the proper things a queen should know, and who found the perfect young noble to marry. Instead, he was living alone and miserable, his wife dead and his daughter on a foreign world learning foreign ways because she didn’t want to be with him. _This is not what I wanted at all. I wish there was something I could do to change it._

* * *

“Here’s your order, ma’am.” Setting a plate on the table, Mira smiled to the woman and moved on. A lock of loose hair had fallen over her face, and she pushed it back behind her ear and straightened the apron around her waist. Soon her shift would be over, and she could finally go home. She longed to curl up under the covers in her warm bed and let sleep fall over her, smoothing away all the tiredness she felt. Training during the day and working several hours each night had taken its toll on her over the months, adding dark shadows beneath her eyes and keeping her perpetually worn out.

All her life people had served her, waited on her hand and foot, and now that she was the one serving others, she realised how much hard work was involved. At times, her pride got in the way, and she felt outraged at being reduced to a servant when she was a princess who once commanded dozens of her own servants. When customers were rude, she had to fight the urge to tell them who she was and how much better she was than any of them. Tangean snobbery and her royal status were among the things she was running away from when she came to Capital Planet, so it pained her to realise how strongly she still clung to them. 

Glancing at the clock on the wall, she saw her shift was over and hurried to the manager, turning in her apron and receiving her paycheck. She pocketed it proudly and trudged into the cool night, heading back to the Academy. The air was fresh and crisp, carried through on a light breeze that ruffled Mira’s hair.

Looking up, she saw it was a clear night. Dozens of tiny white lights sparkled against the black backdrop of space, not one covered by clouds or smog. The moon was also casting down its light, reflecting off windowpanes and puddles and illuminating places the street lamps couldn’t reach. It was a pretty night, that much she could appreciate even in her sleep-deprived state, and she paused at the street corner for awhile to take it all in. With her hands in her pockets - one hand fingering the cheque as if to make sure it was still there - she leaned against a lamppost and drew in a deep breath, then let it out contentedly as she shut her eyes and smiled. She was tired, she was cold, and her feet were aching from waiting on tables all night, but she wasn’t unhappy. Far from it. Her life, while not perfect, was better than it had been in a long time; she’d hadn’t been this happy and fulfilled since she was last with Romac. _That was over six years ago,_ she realised. The time had passed so quickly.

Gazing up at the stars, she wondered where Romac was now. _Is he still on Tangea? Or is he living somewhere else? And does he still remember me?_ She missed him, even after all these years, and longed to feel his arms around her again. A part of her wanted to try contacting him, but she doubted their mental link was still strong enough for her to reach him. _I guess I can only hope we’ll run into each other again one day._

Feeling the breeze run through her hair again, she remembered that she still had to get home, and the young woman hurried on down the street. Reaching the Academy grounds, she enjoyed the cool feel of the dewy grass rubbing against her ankles as she made her way to the barracks. The building was dark when she entered, but she knew the layout well enough to find the door to her room, and she walked through gratefully and flopped onto the bed. Now that the memory of her old room’s opulence was fading, she’d come to quite enjoy her cosy quarters, even thinking of them as home. The spartan appearance they’d had when she first arrived was gone, now that she’d added her personal effects to the room and given it a lived-in feel.

Slipping into her nightclothes, she returned to the bed and was about to turn out the lights when a beep sounded from the vidphone. “Oh, craters, now what?” Mira rose and turned on the screen, hoping she wasn’t in too much of a mess.

“Mira! It’s about time. I’ve been trying to call you for over an hour!”

Her heart sank when she saw her father’s face appear on the screen. _What does he want?_ It was probably another attempt to coerce her into returning home. “Hello, Father.”

His features softened, and he gazed at her for some time before responding. “You look... different, Mira. Older.”

Taken aback by this statement, she glanced at her reflection in the polished floor and found she’d indeed changed, even though only a few months had elapsed since she’d joined the Academy. Her face had grown thinner, and her body more muscular, however the main difference was not her appearance but her bearing. She stood up straighter than she did before, and exuded confidence and a determination that went beyond mere stubbornness. Academy life had changed her all right, and for the better she felt. Studying her father’s expression, she realised he shared that opinion. This surprised her, for she’d expected nothing but disapproval from him. “I... I guess I feel older too.”

He nodded, a thoughtful look playing across his face as if he was choosing his words carefully. “How have you been?”

“Okay.” She shrugged. “Why are you... W-Why are you calling?”

She watched him take a deep breath. “I’ve... I’ve come to realise that no matter how much I disapprove of your actions, you are still my daughter, and I can’t - I _won’t_ \- lose you. I won’t let you slip out of my life.”

 _Craters! He’s going to force me to come home somehow._ Mira pursed her lips.

“If there’s anything I can do to make you come back to the palace, I’ll do it, but I know how hard it is to change your mind.” He offered her a weak smile. “There’s no reason we have to be enemies, though. Even if you choose to stay here, I still want you in my life. I’ve been a fool, driving you away at every turn. That’s going to change. I want us to stay in touch, and restore the relationship we used to have.”

Mira’s eyes widened. “Really? Do you really mean that?” Was he... trying to make amends? Her father, who was so set in his ways? After their last conversation, she’d dared not hope they’d be able to reconcile so soon. “Oh, Daddy!” If they hadn’t been separated by the stretches of space, she would have pulled him close and hugged him.

“Then you’ll forgive me for the things I said last time we spoke? And you’re willing to keep in touch with me?” He looked as if a weight had been lifted from him.

“Of course!” She reached out and touched the screen. “Oh, Daddy, I love you! And I’ve missed you so much!”

“I’ve missed you too.” He bowed his head. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”

Something in his words made Mira think, and she looked at the calendar hanging on the wall. She’d learned to convert galactic dates to match the Tangean calender, and she opened her mouth when she realised what the date was. _M-Mother..._ Turning back to her father, she suddenly understood what had prompted him to contact her, and she saw pain in his eyes she hadn’t noticed before. _He was afraid he’d lose me too. Oh, Daddy, I’ll never let that happen! We may argue, but nothing will ever drive us apart like this again!_ “How have you been, Father?”

“I’m fine... Now.” He smiled again, touching the screen with his own hand. There may have been many lightyears between them, but with their hands together on the screen, it felt like only a thin layer of glass separated them.

“How’s everything at the palace?”

“Well enough.” He hesitated. “How is life at the Academy?”

“It’s good.” Swallowing, she wondered if she should tell him about her life in more detail. She wanted so badly to pour out everything - the good things, the bad things, the things that frightened her, and the things that gave her strength - but did he really want to hear about the Academy? He was tolerating it for now, but she could see how much effort it had taken him to get to this point, and she didn’t want try his patience. On the other hand, he was the one who had asked, so perhaps... “I really like it here,” she blurted. “It’s hard - harder than anything I’ve ever done in my life - but it’s wonderful. I’m learning so much each day, and I have push myself to get through. But that’s part of the fun - I’ve done some things I never thought I could possibly do!” Her eyes shone. “Everything’s so different here from Tangea, but the people are really nice, and Capital Planet is a lot of fun. It’s not pretty like Tangea. The buildings are really ugly. It’s still great, though - you should visit some time. We could spend the day together!”

He nodded, though she couldn’t tell if he actually had any intention of visiting. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”

“I am, I really am.” Mira smiled - a wide, sincere smile. “Not everything is how I imagined it would be, but I love it here. Every day I come closer to becoming a real Ranger.” She bit her lip. “W-When I graduate, will y-y-you be there? At the ceremony?” It was something she hadn’t thought about until now, but she realised that she desperately wanted her father there on the proudest, happiest day of her life.

He pulled back uncertainly. “We’ll see, child. Something... Something might come up that day at the palace, but if I can, I’ll be there.”

 _There’s nothing he couldn’t get Lord Angstrom or Lord Capella to handle short of a major emergency._ She shrugged, knowing what her father really meant was that he was unsure if he wanted to come. “Okay.” Another matter weighed on her mind, and she frowned hesitantly. “D-Do you think you could, uh, loan me some money? I-I have a job as a waitress, but it doesn’t pay much, and I have a hard time buying things I need like clothes _and_ paying the monthly tuition. I c-could pay you back...”

King Nova’s eyebrows went up. “Nonsense, Mira, I will not allow you to work like some commoner. Though I don’t approve of this academy you’re in, I will gladly pay the bills if it means keeping you from waiting on tables at whatever filthy little establishment you work at. There will be no talk of paying me back. I will give you however much you need, all you have to do is ask.”

Mira smiled sheepishly. “Well, I, uh, did like earning my own money...” _It felt so good to be self-sufficient, and to know I’d earned the money through hard work._ “But the job is cutting into my study time, and it’s not paying enough for me to live on, and it’s really wearing me out, so...” She sighed. “I guess I can quit if you’re willing to pay my expenses.” It wasn’t an ideal situation, but she could live with it.

“Good.” He nodded absently, as if his thoughts had suddenly turned to something else. “Mira... be careful. If you do decide to stick with this space club of yours, don’t let yourself fall into harm’s way if you can help it. I couldn’t bear for anything to happen to you.”

“It’s a dangerous job, Father,” she said. “But I will try to stay out of trouble. Try not worry too much about me, okay?” The pained look he had whenever he thought about Cerise was back, and Mira knew he was afraid she would be taken from him just like his wife was.

Nova managed a slight smile. “I’m your father. I’ll always worry about you. However, I know you’re a capable young woman, so I’ll trust you to take care of yourself. But if you ever need me - for _anything_ \- just say the word and I’ll be there in an instant.”

She nodded. “I know you will, Daddy. And I promise I’ll call you any time I need you.” Tiredness began to creep back into her body. “Right now, though, I need to sleep. It’s been a long day - a long night too - and I’ve got classes tomorrow. I’ll talk to you again soon, okay?”

“Yes, we’ll talk again soon,” he confirmed. “Go rest, child.”

“Thanks, Daddy.” She blew him a kiss. “Have a... a nice day.” It was the anniversary of her mother’s death - how could he have nice day? She wondered if she’d said the right thing.

To her surprise, he answered, “I believe I will, Mira. I feel much better already. Good night.”

“Good afternoon,” she giggled. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

After the screen went black, she turned out the lights and crawled into bed, sleep coming easily not only due to her tiredness but also because of the relief she felt. She’d missed her father so much, and the guilt and pain of their estrangement had weighed heavily on her. Now that it was gone, she felt light and free again. Her life wasn’t perfect, but it was about as near to perfect as it could be right now.

A smile crept over her face as she slept, and all her dreams were pleasant ones that night.


	21. Chapter Twenty: Reckless

Mira tried to calm the shaking of her knees as she stood, waiting for the others to arrive, beside the immense Star Cruiser that rested on the landing pad. One of the cadets, a red-skinned alien named Flarn who had four arms and a tail, was already there, but the final cadet and their mission leader hadn’t come yet. _I wish they’d hurry!_ Mira looked up at the tall, white Star Cruiser and her heart began to beat faster. She was finally going to take her first ride in one, and she’d be visiting Star Command! But more important even than that, she was also going on her first mission. None of the cadets knew exactly what it would be, but they had been told it would require a trip to Trade World.

“Cadet Nova, Cadet Flarn.” The two cadets saluted as the mission commander, a tall woman whose blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, stepped onto the landing pad, followed by the last member of their team, Daphne Thornhoof.

“Daphne! I didn’t know you were going to be on this mission!” Mira waved to her friend.

“Hi, Mira.” Daphne waved back. “Looks like we’re going to be working together. This should be fun!”

The blonde captain motioned for Daphne to join the other cadets. “All right, everyone, I’m Ranger Tundra Skyrim, captain of Star Cruiser 36, which we’ll be taking today on a mission. Although this is for training purposes, the mission is quite real and quite serious, so I won’t tolerate any mistakes, got that? You will be briefed on the mission details when we reach Star Command.” Reaching for the ladder that led to the Star Cruiser’s hatch, Tundra began to climb. “Let’s move, people.”

The cadets followed her up the ladder, though Daphne, being an awkward shape, struggled with each step, and Mira had to help her along. When they finally stepped into the ship, Tundra led them through the grey corridors to the bridge.

It was a cramped space, with two stations at the back, and two stations at the front. Windows filled the front of the bridge, giving a panoramic view of the world around them. The colour scheme was typical Star Command - all greys and blues, yet it didn’t feel as cold as would be expected. Mira found herself liking the space, and poured eagerly over the consoles and the controls.

“Cadet Flarn, you will accompany me up front as my co-pilot. Cadet Thornhoof, you will man the diagnostics station, and Cadet Nova will take the navigator’s position.” Tundra lowered herself into her chair. “If you’ve all been paying attention during your studies, you should know what your jobs entail and how to do them. Strap in and begin pre-flight checks.”

The cadets did as they were told, and soon the Star Cruiser blasted off from the pad and rocketed upwards towards the blackness of space. Once there, Mira noticed a white speck in distance that gradually grew bigger, the details making themselves known as the ship drew closer. It was a circular grey space station, flattened around the edges while the top and bottom were elongated. Four green fins stood on one side, and on the other side was a purple spire. Mira recognised the station instantly as Star Command, and her hands shook with excitement. _I’m finally going to set foot onto the headquarters of the Space Ranger Corps!_

A large hatch opened beneath the Star Cruiser, and Tundra lowered the ship through into the space station. With a jolt they touched down inside the launch bay, and Tundra powered down the engines. “Okay, time for a mission briefing with the commander.” She unbuckled her seatbelt. “I know this is your first visit to Star Command and you’re excited to be here, but there’s no time to sightsee. You can do that later, after the mission’s complete. Let’s go!”

They left the Star Cruiser and walked across the thin bridge that led through the launch bay to a hallway. As they made their way through the corridors, they passed numerous Rangers, who greeted Tundra and occasionally greeted the cadets too, though most ignored them. One Space Ranger, a blue man with shiny black hair and a thin beard, stopped when he saw them and waved.

“Hello, ladies.” He grinned. “And red man.”

Flarn folded his arms and grunted irritably in reply, while Tundra laughed. “Hi, Warp. Where’s Buzz?”

 _Buzz?_ Mira glanced around, hoping she would get to see him again. She’d heard at the Academy that Buzz had a partner named Warp Darkmatter, so she guessed that this must be him.

“He’s still writing up the paperwork for our last mission.” Warp smirked and leaned against the wall. “I, on the other hand, had the good sense to realise that since no one would even read our reports, there was no reason to go into lengthy details. That’s why I have the morning free and he’s still stuck at his desk.”

Tundra rolled her eyes, though her lips were threatening to curl into a smile. “Shush, you’ll be a bad influence on the cadets. I don’t want them shirking their paperwork after our mission is over.”

“Me? A bad influence?” Warp feigned insult. “How can you suggest such a thing?” He winked at Mira and Daphne. “If either of you ever wants to know just how much of a bad influence I really am, I’d be happy to show you...”

“Warp,” Tundra warned, leading the cadets along.

“Just kiddin’. Good luck with your assignment, girls - and red man.” He stood up straight. “Since I’ve got the rest of the day off, I think I’ll head out to Kegas IX for a little partying.”

Tundra shot him a glare. “ _Warp_.”

“Right, right, bad influence. Sorry!” He grinned.

When they reached the briefing room, they found Commander Nebula waiting for them inside, tapping his fingers on the purple table with his back to the large window that revealed a breathtaking view of Capital Planet. “Ah, there you are,” he greeted. “Ranger Skyrim, cadets - sit down.”

Mira sank into a chair, folding her hands on her lap while the commander rose to announce the mission.

“We recently received word from our sources on Trade World that there’s an illegal gambling operation hidden in one of the backrooms of a bar called The Black Hole. All the regular players will be there today, so I’m sending you folks in to make arrests and stamp out the operation.” He rested his hands on the table. “As far as we know, this isn’t a high-risk mission, but you _are_ going to Trade World, so everyone you encounter should be considered dangerous until proven otherwise. Use caution at all times, and stay out of trouble.”

Tundra smiled. “I think we can handle that, Commander. What do you think, cadets?”

A chorus of ‘yes, ma’ams’ rose from the three cadets, and Mira gripped the armrests of the seat in anticipation. _My first mission! And my first chance to prove myself as a Ranger. I can’t wait!_

* * *

When the Star Cruiser reached Trade World, Tundra brought the ship into orbit and turned to her crew. “None of you have ever flown in space yet, have you?” They shook their heads. “Well, here’s your chance. To the launch tubes, people, and put up your helmets.”

Mira nervously unstrapped herself from the chair and followed her team off the bridge. They entered a room with four transparent tubes standing against the wall, and Tundra motioned for them to each get inside one. They did so, though Daphne once again had difficulties, and a glass covering curved over the tubes.

“Three, two, one, launch!” Tundra called.

Mira braced herself, and a hatch above her swirled open. Air rushed past her as she was blown into space, and she emerged outside the ship beside the rest of her team.

Tundra pressed a button on her suit, and her jetpack fired up. The other Rangers followed her example, and they descended through the Trade Worldian atmosphere. Mira found that flying through space was simpler than she’d expected, and enjoyed the feeling of weightlessness.

When the city came into view, it brought to mind Romac’s words when he’d told her about his trip to Trade World. There was an ocean on one side, and a collection of buildings nestled beside a cliff face on the other. Cars streamed through one of the sky lanes, honking their horns and trying to overtake each other. A large, dirt-encrusted sign welcomed visitors to Trade World, though the city itself looked far from welcoming. Trash littered the squalid alleys, and the people that milled through the city looked like the lowest, scummiest inhabitants of the universe. Some were vendors, flogging their wares to crowds, while other people seemed to be wandering aimlessly across the walkways. There were drunks passed out in corners, thugs hiding in the shadows, street urchins snatching fruit from stalls, provocatively dressed women soliciting passers by, and hustlers trying to con a few bucks off the more gullible citizens. It was not an environment for the faint-hearted, and Mira wondered what had led all these people to this place and these lifestyles.

Romac had been right when he said lights and signs flashed everywhere. Wherever she looked, Mira saw giant screens displaying advertisements and news, and signs written in languages she couldn’t read were scattered throughout the city.

“This is quite a place,” she observed to Daphne.

Her friend nodded. “You can say that again.”

Tundra led them through the maze of buildings until they reached a seedy-looking bar that stood in one of the shadier, slummier parts of the city. They landed outside the entrance, and the woman turned to her team. “All right, here’s what we’re going to do. Nova, you and Thornhoof will cover the back entrance and make sure no one slips out. Flarn and I will go in and raid the gambling den. Got it?”

The other two cadets nodded, but Mira held up her hand. “Uh, excuse me, ma’am, but d-do you really think that’s a good idea? I-I mean, don’t you think it would be better if all of us went in? It sounds too dangerous for just two people.”

“Your concerns are noted, Cadet,” assured Tundra, “but I don’t think those gamblers will put up much of a fight, and it’s imperative that we keep the exits covered, otherwise some of them could get away.” She put her hand on Mira’s shoulder. “I know you want to be in on the action, but sometimes you have to take the less glamourous assignments. It’s not as exciting as rounding up thugs, but it’s still important.”

Mira sighed. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Good. Take Thornhoof and get into position.”

The two cadets nodded and trudged to the back of the building, ending up in dank, trash-filled alley. Old boxes and newspapers were strewn across the ground, mouldering among the puddles. An overturned trash can blocked the back door to the bar, and Mira set herself down on it, her arms folded. “This isn’t fair. How come Flarn got to go in but we didn’t?”

Daphne shrugged. “You heard what Tundra said. We’ve got to guard the back in case someone tries to escape.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s what she _said_.” Mira rolled her eyes. “Come on, this door is locked anyway.” She jiggled the handle. “The only reason we’re here is because she thinks we aren’t ready for anything tougher.”

“Oh, Mira,” chided Daphne. “Don’t be so paranoid. I’m sure we wouldn’t even have been selected for this mission if she didn’t think we were ready.”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever.” Mira rested her back against the wall. Surveying the alley, she had to suppress a shudder. “Ugh, this place is disgusting. This whole _planet_ is disgusting. How could anyone live here? And why would they want to?”

Shrugging, Daphne put her elbows on an old oil barrel. “Some were probably born here. Others probably didn’t have anywhere else to go. And I guess there are those who _like_ this kind of place. I mean, let’s face it, it’s the perfect hangout for criminals.”

Mira nodded. “Yeah. I bet this place keeps the Space Rangers busy. We’ll probably be sent here a lot once we’re fully fledged Rangers.”

“Not me,” said Daphne. “I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, and I don’t think I’ll do any patrol work once I’m a Ranger. It’s just not practical for someone like me.”

“I thought the whole reason you joined was to prove that you could do the same things everyone else could...”

“Yeah, and I _can_ do those things - I’ve already proven that. But I’m just not cut out for this kind of work. It’s difficult for me, and I’d slow down my team - maybe even be a liability.” She smiled. “I think I’ll work on Star Command instead. There are plenty of jobs for me there, like security or launch control. Not everyone has to go out on missions.”

Mira shrugged. “Well, if that’s what you want to do, then good luck. That kind of job’s not for me, though. I want to be out here, chasing down lawbreakers and fighting evil. I couldn’t be stuck on a space station while _other_ people are having adventures.”

“You and I are a different kinds of people,” chuckled Daphne. “Anyway, everything looks pretty clear so far. I wonder how Tundra and Flarn are doing.”

Biting her lip, Mira glanced nervously at the door. “I hope they’re okay.” _Two people aren’t enough to bring in a whole room of thugs. Something could have gone wrong..._

“I’m sure they’d call us if there were any problems,” Daphne reasoned.

“I guess so.” Part of Mira almost wished something would go wrong so they would call, meaning she’d get to join in the action. “Don’t you think they should have checked in with us by now, though? I mean, Tundra said it would be a simple mission, so they should have secured the place by now. Why haven’t they called?”

“Give them time.”

Mira clenched and unclenched her hands. “I think one of us should go in and see if everything’s okay. They might need backup.”

“I don’t know about that.” Daphne frowned. “Tundra told us to guard the back door. We can’t disobey her orders just because they haven’t checked in yet. We need something more solid to go on than that to prove something’s wrong.”

“Exactly!” replied Mira. “That’s why I’m going to go in and see what’s happening. Don’t worry, we’re not abandoning our position. You can stay here, so the door will still be secure. If anything’s gone wrong inside, I’ll call you and we can rush to the rescue. If everything’s okay, then there’s no harm done. I don’t see the problem.”

Daphne continued to look unhappy. “I really don’t think this is a good idea. We have our orders...”

“Trust me.” Mira patted Daphne’s shoulder. “It’ll be fine. Just stay here and keep an eye on things, and I’ll be back in a minute.”

Sighing in defeat, Daphne nodded. “Okay, but I still don’t like this.”

Mira ghosted through the wall, ending up in a dusty stockroom. Boxes of glasses, plates, and liquor filled the room, and she had to watch her step to avoid tripping over any of them. Something in the corner rustled, and she stifled a scream. When she looked to see what it was, she let out a sigh of relief and could have laughed at her silliness. It was only a rat scurrying among the crates, probably eating some of the food stocks and contributing to the general unsanitariness of the establishment.

Reaching the door, Mira ghosted her head through first to see if the coast was clear, then slipped her whole body through. She found herself in a dim hallway, and the low hum of voices told her the hall probably led to the bar. Along the side of the corridor were several closed doors, and she reasoned one of them probably belonged to the backroom the gambling operation was based in.

She paled when she realised there was no sign of Tundra or Flarn. _Something’s gone wrong, I know it!_ But what could she do? One Ranger - or two if she called in Daphne - wouldn’t be much good against all those criminals. She needed a plan. _Think, Mira, think - what would Buzz Lightyear do in a situation like this?_

She tapped her chin. _Tundra and Flarn are probably being held inside the room. If I can somehow sneak in unnoticed and free them, I can ghost them out of there and we can barricade the door from the outside and have a locked room full of gamblers who we can deal with at our leisure._ Easy enough - except the part about getting in and rescuing them without being seen. _Hmm, the thugs might be guarding the door, but I bet they aren’t expecting anyone to go through the_ wall _._

First she had to figure out which room they were in, though, so she put her ear to each door until she found one from which voices emanated. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, but she knew she’d found the right place. Slipping back outside, she circled around the building until she reached the outside wall of that room, and dropped to her knees. “Don’t worry, guys. Cadet Nova’s on the way.” Crawling forward, she phased through the wall and emerged in a poorly lit room filled with gambling tables and an unsavoury assortment of individuals crowded around them. Some were exchanging money, while others were conversing with each other, laughing over their good fortune or bewailing their losses.

Mira inched forward, glad of the low light which concealed her as she crawled across the floor. Glancing around, she was confused when she saw that neither Tundra nor Flarn seemed to be present. _What happened? Did they take them away somewhere? I hope I’m not too late!_

“Ouch!” Someone had stepped on her hand, and Mira cried out before she could stop herself.

“Hey, what’s going on here?” The shady-looking character who’d stepped on her pulled her to her feet. “Who are you?”

 _Oh no! No, no, no!_ Ghosting out of his grip, she made for the wall. _I have to get out of here!_

“Stop her! Don’t let her get away!”

Hearing one of them charge a weapon, Mira dove for the wall, concentrating on phasing her body. However, before she could make it through the wall, a pulse collided with her back, and she lost concentration. Slamming into the wall, Mira fell to ground and tried to push herself up. “Ugh...” Her vision began to grow blurry, and her strength had left her. A feeling of immense tiredness washed over her, and she gradually succumbed to it.

The last thing she was aware of before blacking out was a pair of hands dragging her across the floor towards the centre of the room, and a voice saying, “It’s looks like we’ve got ourselves a Ranger.”


	22. Chapter Twenty-One: Doubts

Consciousness slowly crept back, and Mira opened her eyes groggily. The first thing she saw was the barrel of a gun pointed straight at her face.

“Make any sudden moves, Tangean,” growled the thug holding it, “and you’ll need a new head.”

The thought of ghosting into the floor entered her mind, but she wasn’t sure if she could do it quick enough to avoid being shot. In the end she decided against it, and instead surveyed her surroundings. She was still in the gambling den, though all the gambling seemed to have ceased. Everyone was now gathered around her, some fearful at the sight of a Ranger, while others looked at her with contempt.

“How many more of you are there?” The gun was shoved against her nose.

 _They don’t know about Tundra and Flarn - that means they must be okay!_ Relief filled her, mixed with shame, for it meant she’d gotten captured needlessly. “There’s no one else. It’s just me.”

Grabbing her by the hair, the thug pulled her up to his face. “Don’t lie, Tangean! Space Rangers don’t work alone. Where’s your backup?”

Mira winced at the painful grip on her hair and tried to pull away. “I-I don’t know. I sent her back to the cruiser.” _Please let them believe that!_ Her heart pounded and she had to fight a wave of fear-induced nausea. _What am I going to do?_

“You’d better not be lying.” The thug dropped her to the floor. “Jake, Torek, go outside and see if you can find any more Rangers.” 

Two muscular henchmen nodded, leaving the room. As Mira watched them go, she pleaded inwardly that Daphne had left to find Tundra and wouldn’t be caught. _If anything happens to her it’ll be all my fault!_

After several minutes of silence, one of the gamblers asked, “What are we going to do with her?”

Their leader shrugged. “If it were anyone else, I’d suggest killing her and dumping her body in the ocean, but a Ranger’s too valuable for that. We might be able to trade her to Evil Emperor Zurg for a generous fee - I’m sure he’d have plenty of uses for a captured Ranger.”

Mira gasped, as did some of the other thugs. “You sure you want to get mixed up with Zurg? He’s out of our league, man. I think we should stay away from him,” one of them protested.

“Shut up, will you? I know what I’m doing. I’ve worked with Zurg before - where do you think I make all my money? He pays well.” Their leader folded his arms. “Besides, one of his agents is in the Kegas system at the moment. That’s practically next door to Trade World - it’d be easy to slip her and any other Rangers we find over there and deliver them to Zurg’s guy.”

“I still think it’s too dangerous, but whatever.” The other man shrugged.

Mira chewed her lip nervously. _I have to get out of here! If they take me to Zurg, I’ll never get away._ The thought of seeing the purple emperor again and being his prisoner filled her with terror. _Cosmos, why was I so stupid? Why did I go in without even knowing if Tundra and Flarn were in danger?_ The reason was obvious though, and she admitted it to herself with a sigh. _I was bored and wanted some action. I wanted to be the hero. Now look where that’s gotten me - I’m their prisoner!_

There was a knock on the door. “Hmm, I didn’t expect Jake and Torek to be back so soon,” mused the lead thug. “I wonder if they’ve found something. Let them in.”

One of the others went to the door and slid down the latch, swinging the door open and standing back to let his friends in. Only his friends weren’t the ones at the door. “Freeze!”

Hearing the familiar stern female voice, Mira leaped to her feet and knocked over the leader, kicking him as he tried to get up, and grabbed his gun. Tundra, Flarn, and Daphne burst into the room, and chaos broke out as the other thugs tried to fight them off. Several laser shots were fired, but it was mostly a physical fight, and despite being outnumbered, the Rangers were clearly winning. Tundra kicked and punched at the gamblers, taking them down with ease, while Flarn swung at them with his tail. Mira fought off several as well, but the Ranger who took down the most criminals was clearly Daphne. She charged at them, kicking with both sets of legs and knocking many people to the ground. Like Flarn, she also used her tail as a weapon, and thwacked several men on the head with it.

Before long, the room was secure, and the team began rounding up their prisoners. Few words were exchanged between them, but Mira smiled gratefully to her rescuers. She could tell from the look in Tundra’s eyes, though, that the woman was displeased with her, and knew they’d be having a talk later.

Once all the gamblers had been handed over to the Trade World authorities, the Rangers returned to Star Cruiser 36, and Mira finally got to ask what had happened while she was captured.

“While I was waiting by the door,” explained Daphne, “a couple of men came along and tried to catch me. So I gave them a little taste of what you saw back there, and I soon had ‘em in my custody. I realised something must be wrong, so I slipped into the bar. I found Tundra and Flarn up at the front, and they told me they hadn’t gone in yet because they were still planning out their strategy.”

“We found out from one of the patrons that several particularly dangerous felons were at the den today,” Tundra continued. “We decided to abandon our early plan to simply rush in and raid the operation, so we had to come up with something new. While we were doing that, Daphne entered and told us you’d gone in to see if we were okay.” Her lips tightened, and she looked disapprovingly at Mira. “We looked around, but we couldn’t find you, so we knew you’d probably been captured. Since we didn’t know what kind of danger you might be in, we decided to forego a complex plan and just rushed in, hoping the element of surprise would turn the fight in our favour.” She smiled. “Fortunately, it did, and everything ended well.”

Mira looked down. “Thank you. I... I’m sorry I caused all this trouble. I shouldn’t have disobeyed your orders.”

“That’s right, you shouldn’t have.” Tundra nodded. “I understand why you did it, and you learned a valuable lesson, but, in future, do as your commanding officer tells you. If that means standing by a door instead of being part of the action, then so be it. We’re not here to have fun, we’re here to do our jobs and make the universe a safer place.”

“I know,” sighed Mira. “I’m really, really sorry.”

Daphne patted her shoulder. “Hey, at least we all got out of there all right and we completed our mission successfully. You made a mistake, honey, but things turned out okay.”

 _I could have gotten everyone killed._ Mira forced a smile for her friend, but remained downcast.

* * *

When they reached Star Command, they had a debriefing with Commander Nebula, who was less than pleased with Mira’s actions. To Mira’s surprise, Tundra defended her, and the commander reluctantly let her off with a warning.

After filling out the dreaded paperwork Warp had mentioned that morning, the cadets were finally allowed to explore the space station, and Mira took full advantage of this opportunity. They weren’t allowed onto the command deck, or into any of the other important areas like the fusion reactor room, but the rest of the station was open to them.

Mira wandered through the halls, watching the Rangers that went past and wondering if she would ever be one of them. She’d been so sure before that she’d be an excellent Ranger and would easily graduate from the Academy, but now... Now she wasn’t so sure. _Maybe I’m not cut out for this after all._ Sighing, she entered the cafeteria and found a seat at one of the tables. The room was empty, as everyone was still on duty, and she was alone. Resting her chin in hands, she stared despondently at her reflection on the shiny table surface. _I’m just a princess. What do I know about being a Space Ranger? I couldn’t even get through my first mission without messing up!_

“Hey, Mira? Is that you?” The excited voice she heard was familiar, and her face lit up when she turned around.

“Booster!”

“Mira!” Dropping his mop, the fat Jo-Adian rushed forward and pulled her into a hug. “It’s great to see you again!”

“Yeah, same here.” She slipped out of his crushing grip and smiled. “How have you been?”

Booster picked up the mop again. “Oh, I’ve been great! I got the janitor’s job, as you can see, and I’ve been studying really hard each night. Next year I’m going to take the entrance exam again, and I just know I’ll pass this time!”

Mira nodded. “I’m sure you will. You’ll make a great Space Ranger.” _Unlike me._

“Aw, thanks, Mira,” blushed Booster. “Buzz says that too, but he’s always so nice, and I’m sometimes afraid he doesn’t really mean it.”

“You’ve been talking to Buzz? How is he?”

Resuming his work, Booster nodded to Mira. “Oh, I see him all the time. He’s fine - in fact he’s doing great! Last week he saved one of the other Rangers, Ty Parsec, from some flesh-eating drill wasps!” Booster clasped his hands together. “Buzz is such a hero, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, he is.” She shrugged. _I once thought I could be like him - a hero, someone who people look up to and who saves the galaxy. I guess I was wrong._

“Are you okay, Mira?” Despite his apparent naivety, the Jo-Adian seemed to have noticed her gloomy mood. “Is something wrong?”

She kicked her foot at the ground. “Ah, well, you know... Just had some problems with my training mission.” _That’s an understatement if ever there was one._

“What kind of problems?”

“The kind where you screw up and endanger yourself and the rest of your team and almost botch the entire mission.”

“Oh.” Booster set down his mop again. “I... Well, uh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Thanks.” Folding her arms, Mira leaned against the table and sighed. “Do you think I’m ready to be a Space Ranger? Do you think I even _should_ be a Space Ranger? Maybe I should just go back to my life at the palace. It was boring, but at least I didn’t endanger other people. If I become a Ranger, there will be times when the lives of others depend on me, and I know I’ll let them down. I’m not good enough to do this job.”

Booster frowned. “Do you think you would have come this far if you weren’t good enough? I know a lot about the Space Rangers - probably more than you,” she could tell he wasn’t bragging, but simply stating a fact, “and I know they don’t allow failures to make it this far. If you didn’t belong there, you wouldn’t be there. So why are you worried?”

“This morning I would have agreed with you - I thought I was ready.” She put her head in her hands. “But now I’ve seen that I’m not nearly as good as I thought I was. I made a really stupid mistake, and I’ll probably make more mistakes like that if I become a Ranger.”

“We all make mistakes - well, everyone except Buzz,” clarified Booster. “You can’t give up just because you did something wrong. That would be an even stupider mistake.” His ears went down. “Do you know how many people would do anything for the chance to get as far as you have in the Academy? And now you want to throw all that away? Mira, you disappoint me.”

“But what else can I do?” She threw up her hands. “I don’t ever want to let anyone down like I did today.”

Booster folded his arms. “What makes you think you will?”

“Because... I just... I don’t know, I’m just not good enough to handle this job!” She covered her face with her hands again. “If I messed up once I’ll probably do it again.”

Laying a hand on her back, Booster patted her gently. “I’ve made plenty of mistakes too, but that doesn’t mean I should give up on my dream of becoming a Ranger. My pa says mistakes are important - without them we never learn anything.”

“But what if the mistakes get people killed!”

“Did yours?”

“No...”

“Then what’s the problem?”

Mira shut her eyes in frustration. “It could have! I got lucky this time. What if next time someone does get hurt?”

“I don’t think you’d let that happen.” Booster smiled.

“But what if -”

He held up his hand to cut her off. “Don’t think about all the mistakes you could make - that won’t do you any good, it’ll only make you miserable. Think about all the people you could help if you become a Ranger. Think about all the lives you could save!” Longing crept into his eyes. “You’d have the greatest job ever!”

“Yeah.” She shrugged. “I guess so.”

“Buzz says a Ranger never gives up. You’re not going to give up, are you?”

Mira sighed. “I don’t know...” As she thought it over, something else Buzz had said came to mind. _“You never win if you’re busy counting the reasons you’ll lose.”_ Was that what she was doing right now? Counting the reasons she shouldn’t be a Space Ranger, instead of counting the reasons she should?

 _I want to help people... I don’t want to spend my entire life at the palace doing nothing until I become queen. I want to do something that counts - something that makes a difference._ And she’d long ago decided that Star Command was the perfect place for that. _But what if I fail? What if I make more mistakes?_ She looked up into Booster’s face for guidance, and he smiled reassuringly. _He has faith in me. Daphne has faith in me. Even Tundra has faith in me - why else would she have defended me at the debriefing? So why don’t I have faith in myself?_ She sighed. _Because I realised today that I’m not as infallible as I thought I was. And it hurts to know that. It hurts to know I can make such stupid mistakes. But... But it’s something I had to learn. And if I gave up because of it, I’d never forgive myself._

Her mind made up, she took Booster’s hand and squeezed it. “No, Booster, I’m not giving up.” She managed a small smile. “Thank you - for everything.”

He waved off her gratitude. “Aw, don’t mention it.”

“Buzz was right. You will make a great Ranger one day.” Standing up, she patted his shoulder. “Good luck.”

“Good luck to you too!” he called as she walked out.

* * *

When she returned to the Academy, she threw herself into her training, working even harder than before, and paying more attention to her instructors. The whole summer passed in a blur, filled with studies and exercising, combat training and medical lessons, and dozens of other things she needed to learn if she wanted to become a Space Ranger.

During her vacation time, she returned to Tangea for awhile, and had a pleasant reunion with her father. It was good to be back home - she hadn’t realised how much she’d missed it until she came back, and when the time came to return to Capital Planet, she didn’t want to leave.

Her father continued to be evasive about attending her graduation, so she didn’t press him on the matter, though she wanted dearly for him to be there.

Now that she no longer had to work each night to pay for her tuition, she had more free time, and she regularly went out sightseeing. She also spent time with her Academy friends, going out to movies with them or hanging out at the diner.

The level of training missions the cadets went on increased, and another eatery they frequented was the space-based Cosmo’s Cosmic Diner, which served the best food Mira had ever tasted. The chef, Cosmo, claimed it was the best food in the quadrant. They usually stopped there after finishing their missions and filling out their paperwork at Star Command, and it was a great place to relax.

The missions themselves proved to be less challenging than Mira had expected after the disaster of the first one, and she began to really enjoy them. She went with a different group of cadets and a different captain each time. Unfortunately, though she’d hoped to get a mission with him, Buzz was never one of those captains. The others explained that he preferred to work with Warp and no one else, so he never volunteered for training duty. It bothered Mira that she hadn’t gotten a chance to see him again, because he was her inspiration for joining, but he was always too busy. Being the Pride of Star Command was very time consuming, apparently, and there was always some new world to save. She would have liked to talk to him, find out if he even remembered her, and ask for advice on being a better Ranger, but he was never around, so she had to be content with speaking to the other Space Rangers.

The time passed swiftly and enjoyably, and she honed her skills - which were already very impressive - until she became the best at the Academy. Her father never said anything, but she hoped he was proud of her for what she’d accomplished. After that one moment of uncertainty at the cafeteria, she never doubted her decision to become a Space Ranger again, and she wanted to be the best she could possibly be - and to earn her father’s pride. She wasn’t sure about the latter, but she felt she’d finally accomplished the former goal.


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two: The Big Day

Graduation Day. It had finally arrived. Mira opened her eyes, looking around the room that had become home during her time at the Academy. The morning sunlight streamed through the window onto her bed, telling her it was time to get up.

Not only was a new day dawning, but a new life as well. After today, there would be no more lessons or training at the Academy. She would have to find a house on Capital Planet to live in, and she’d need a car so she could fly to Star Command each morning. Everything was changing now - the day she’d dreamed of for so long had arrived at last. She was going to become a fully fledged Space Ranger.

Pulling back the covers, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and into the pair of slippers that lay below. She lingered on the bed for several moments before getting up, taking in the room again. Today was the last day she’d spend in it - after the graduation ceremony she’d have to clear our all her possessions and leave, making room for some new cadet to live there.

 _It’s going to be hard to leave this place._ The Academy had become her home, and the thought of having to get used to some new place saddened her. _At least I’ll still see all my friends - in fact I’ll be working with them now._ Some things were changing for the better.

Standing up, she hurried to the bathroom to shower, brush her teeth, comb her hair, and get dressed. Her suit had been cleaned the day before, so it was an especially dazzling shade of white now. After she put it on, she paused in front of the mirror to admire the effect. No longer was she Mira Nova, Space Cadet. She was Mira Nova, Space _Ranger_.

Once she was ready, she left her room and went to the cafeteria, where she met Daphne at their usual table.

“Hi, Mira!” the Cytaurian greeted her. “You look great. Ready for the big ceremony today?”

“Nope, nervous as a Shragarakian at a barber’s shop.” She sat down, setting a plate of breakfast on the table uneasily. “Ugh, I don’t think I can eat this.”

“Are you okay?” asked Daphne.

Mira shook her head. “Okay? Today’s Graduation Day, I have a ton of things to do, and I still don’t know if my father’s coming! Of course I’m not okay! I have the worst case of butterflies ever.”

“Everything will be fine,” Daphne soothed. “Try to eat something, okay? You’ll need to keep your strength up - today is going to be hectic.”

“I’ll try, but I’m making no promises.” Eyeing the plate with distaste, Mira prodded the food with her fork. “Are you looking forward to the ceremony?”

“Absolutely, I can’t wait!”

Mira sighed. “I wish I shared your enthusiasm. I mean, this is the day I’ve been longing for since I first decided I wanted to be a Ranger, but now that it’s here... I just feel so anxious.”

“Aw, honey, there’s nothing to be anxious about.”

“What if I get the Ranger Oath wrong when we recite it? Or I trip when we march up to the stage? There are so many things that could go wrong.” She set down her fork. “This is going to be the longest day ever!” _And I don’t know if I can get through it without Father here._

* * *

It was late at night on Tangea, and King Nova was pacing across his room. Paperwork lay in his office undone, but he gave it no mind, focusing instead on the dilemma before him. Mira had sent word that her graduation was today, and she wanted him to be there. What should he do? He wanted to please his daughter, but at the same time he had no desire to celebrate her official entry into the organisation that had taken her away from him. This ceremony would mark her final step into the world of the outsiders, and part of him feared he would never get her back. There was no cause to celebrate, and he wanted to have as little to do with the whole affair as possible.

But Mira was counting on him to be there, and he didn’t want to disappoint her. For better or for worse, this Space Ranger business meant a lot to her, enough for her to leave Tangea to join them. She was his only daughter, and he owed it to her to be there.

“Oh, craters,” he muttered, folding his arms. “What am I supposed to do?” If Cerise were there, she would have known how to deal with the situation. She always knew what to do in times like this. Sighing, he picked up the picture of her that stood beside his bed. It was taken shortly after they were married, and she looked like the happiest, most beautiful woman on Tangea. Her teeth were showing as she smiled, and her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders. Mira hadn’t inherited her mother’s hair, but they definitely shared the same eyes. So large and blue, so full of wonder and delight at the universe around them.

 _I hope I’m not making a mistake by letting Mira go through with this Ranger nonsense._ The most wonderful woman he’d ever known had already been taken from him; he didn’t want to lose Mira as well, and he knew her chosen profession was a dangerous one. Anything could happen - and if he lost her, he’d have nothing left. But, he consoled himself, there was no way he could have stopped her from joining. Her stubbornness rivalled his own, and in matters like this she never gave in until she got her own way.

 _Cerise always said she got her stubbornness from me, but Cerise could be stubborn too when she thought she was right._ His lips twisted into a faint smile, and he thought back to all the silly little arguments they’d had over unimportant matters. There had also been big arguments - usually over his power ghosting, or how to raise Mira. King Nova caressed his thumb over the picture of his wife. _I could never have gotten through that power ghosting ordeal without you._ She’d done so much for him - and he’d never truly appreciated her until she was gone. _I should have been kinder to you - given in to you more often, listened to you instead of always insisting I was right, and allowed you to raise Mira in whatever manner you wished. I sometimes fear I’ve made a terrible mess of raising her, while I’m sure you could have worked wonders with that child. You would have known how to reign in her temper, and how to deal with problems like that whole Grounder-dating nonsense she had when she was younger. You always knew what the right thing to do was._

It was too late to dwell on what might have been, however. He set the picture back in its place on the table and sighed. _I still don’t know what I’m going to do._ What would Cerise have done? _She would have been thrilled by this Ranger business - probably would have wished she could join. Nothing would be able to keep her from attending the graduation, and she’d cheer louder than everyone else when Mira stepped up there._

He stood up. _She can’t be there today... but I can._

* * *

Mira leaned against wall, watching the entrance to the Academy. Families were arriving in droves, and others were already scattered throughout the grounds, engaging in joyful reunions with whatever relative or relatives they had in the Academy. Many cadets hadn’t seen their families in months, so there was a great deal of hugging and kissing whenever the families arrived. Today was a big day for everyone, and an undercurrent of excitement and pride filled the grounds. Mira, however, was more nervous than excited as she waited. The ceremony would begin soon and her father still hadn’t arrived. She was beginning to doubt he would even come at all.

Hearing the whine of an engine, she looked up hopefully as another car landed, but was disappointed when a group of Cytaurians emerged from it. Daphne charged forward and embraced them, dragging the group over to Mira after she’d hugged them all. “This is my family, Mira,” she told the Tangean.

“Hi.” Mira smiled. “Cadet Mira Nova.”

“I told you about Mira, didn’t I?” Daphne questioned her family. “She’s one of the friends I made here.”

The tallest Cytaurian, who had an air of authority about him, extended his hand to Mira. “A pleasure to meet you, Cadet. I am Heracles Thornhoof, Daphne’s father and the leader of the Thornhoof clan.”

Mira took his hand hesitantly, intimidated by the large, powerfully-built Cytaurian. “I-It’s nice to meet you too.” 

After exchanging a few more words with Mira, Daphne and her family left to find a patch of shade where they could sit and spend time with together, leaving Mira alone beside the Academy entrance. She watched more families arrive - Sprocket’s mother and older brother, Flarn’s siblings, and a host of others she didn’t pay much attention to - but there was still no sign of her father. The time ticked away, and at last one of the instructors called her for the ceremony.

“But I’m waiting for my father,” she protested.

“You can greet him after the ceremony’s over! Now come along!”

She reluctantly went with the instructor and joined the other cadets behind the Academy buildings. The instructor explained one last time what they would do at the ceremony, and after that it was simply a matter of waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Arms folded, Mira drummed her fingers along her upper arms and sighed. _I wish Daddy was here._ She was still excited to be graduating, but her father’s absence had dampened her spirits. _Why couldn’t he have come?_

At last the ceremony started, though the time hadn’t come yet for the cadets to march onto the stage. A formation of Star Cruisers flew overhead, performing maneuvers for the crowd of family members, who cheered in response. Mira heard Commander Nebula begin a speech about how proud he was to be ushering another class of cadets into the ranks of Star Command, and finally the band began to drum, signalling the cadets to being their march.

Mira fell in line with her class, marching alongside Daphne, and together they paraded across the grounds several times before stopping in front of the crowd. Families cheered and applauded, and the cadets would have waved to back to them if they hadn’t been standing to attention. Mira noticed that Daphne’s eyes were locked on the party of Cytaurians, and Heracles was looking back at his daughter with pride.

As she gazed idly at the crowd, waiting for Commander Nebula to call them to the stage, a familiar voice reached her ears, calling her name from amidst the sea of cheers, and she scanned the crowd frantically. Finally, she spotted a blue head crowned with bright red hair, and her heart skipped a beat. _Daddy?_ Had he actually come? Was he simply late, and that was why she hadn’t seen him? Looking at the blue figure in the crowd waving at her, she knew it could be no one else, and she let her eyes slide closed with relief and contentment. _Now everything’s perfect._

Her thoughts were interrupted by Commander Nebula’s voice barking out orders, and the group of cadets marched past the crowd and onto the stage. They saluted the commander, then were told to stand at ease.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” announced Nebula, “I am proud to present our newest Rangers!”

The crowd stood up and applauded, making Mira feel prouder than ever. _I can’t believe this day is finally here!_

“Some of them have done exceptionally well, and I’ve got a few awards to hand out. First up, with the highest grades of anyone in her class, is Mira Nova.”

These words startled Mira, who hadn’t expected to named first, and she hesitated a few seconds before joining the commander at the podium. He pinned several medals onto her suit, and she turned to the crowd, beaming with pride and trying to fight back tears. Ignoring the applause of everyone else, she focused only on her father, who was clapping slowly and quietly, only his eyes betraying his emotions. They were filled with joy at seeing his daughter, pride at her accomplishments, and... sadness? Mira couldn’t quite tell what the last emotion was, but she suspected he was sad that she was leaving for Star Command now, and she wanted to rush over and hug him, tell him everything would be okay... But now was not the time for that. Instead she merely smiled back to him, and they shared a moment of joy together before the next cadet was called to the stage and Mira returned to the main group.

After the awards were handed out, the cadets were called to the stage in alphabetical order to take the Space Ranger Oath and receive their badges. Mira waited for what seemed like hours, but finally her name was called, and she returned to the podium, her heart thumping wildly. The moment she had dreamed of for years had arrived. Her hands were shaking, and she could barely hold up her hand as Commander Nebula told her to recite the Oath.

“I-I, Sp-Space Ranger Mira Nova,” she began, stammering as she tried to comprehend the fact that she was now _Space Ranger_ Nova, “solemnly swear to protect and defend all sentient beings against injustice.” The Oath was short, but it summed up the duties of the Space Rangers perfectly, and Mira didn’t think she would ever be prouder than when she said those words.

Commander Nebula held out the badge - a golden medallion emblazoned with the Star Command symbol and attached to a red and white ribbon - and pinned it to her chest. “You are hereby inducted into the ranks of Star Command. Congratulations, Ranger.”

“Thank you, sir.” She saluted, hoping no one would notice the tears trickling down her face.

When it was Daphne’s turn to receive the badge, Mira gave her a quick smile and thumbs up, then watched happily as her friend took the Oath. Just as Mira was the first Tangean Space Ranger, Daphne was the first Cytaurian to graduate, and Mira could see her friend’s family was thrilled with this honour. At last a Cytaurian had proved that it could be done, despite the ‘disadvantage’ of their unusual body shape, and it was a proud day for them.

Glancing at King Nova, Mira smiled to him and hoped he could see how happy she was. _Maybe now he’ll understand why I had to do this._  

After what seemed like forever, the final cadets were given their badges, and Commander Nebula stepped forward to give a closing speech.

“Today is the first day in your new lives as Space Rangers, and I want you to remember it, because when you look back years from now, you’ll realise that it was one of the best days of your life,” he told them. “Being a Space Ranger isn’t about being a hero or getting glory. It’s not even about adventure, though it offers plenty of that.” He paused. “It’s about doing what needs to be done to protect the citizens of the universe. It means dedicating your lives to the service of others, safeguarding them at all costs - even at the cost of your own life. We do this job because it _has_ to be done. Without law enforcement officers, there’d be no one to look out for the rights of others, stand up for the powerless, or hold off the forces of evil. Remember that, people. _You_ are the ones called on to defend the galaxy. Take your duties seriously.”

 _I will._ Mira held her head up high. _I will._


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three: Reporting for Duty

After the ceremony was over, Mira rushed off the stage and into the crowd, flinging her arms around her father when she found him. He slipped his own arms around her, and they remained in an embrace for some time before at last Mira pulled back and kissed him. “Daddy, you came! I... I didn’t think you would. I waited so long and you didn’t show up...”

He stroked her hair. “I must admit, I took an indecent amount of time making up my mind, but finally I realised I had to come.”

“I’m so glad you did!” Mira buried her face against his neck. “Oh, Daddy, when I saw you out there among the crowd, I was so happy - at last everything was perfect. This day just wouldn’t have been the same if you weren’t here to share it with me.”

Taking her hand and walking with her across the grounds, Nova asked, “What will you do now? You aren’t going straight on to Star Command, are you?”

Mira shook her head. “No, I get some time off before I officially begin my career as a Space Ranger. I’m not sure where I’ll spend it.” She paused, a smirk crossing her face. “I hear Tangea’s lovely this time of year...”

“Yes.” Her father returned the smile. “I’ve heard that as well.”

“Maybe I’ll should spend my leave there.” She giggled.

“I think that’s an excellent idea.”

They continued to stroll across the lawn, heading nowhere in particular; simply enjoying each other’s company.

“After my leave’s over,” Mira told her father, “I’ll have to find an apartment on Capital Planet. I need to live close to Star Command, so I don’t have a long commute to work every day.”

Nova sighed. “If you must go ahead with this, then I’m sure I can find a place for you here.”

“Thank you, Daddy.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “Once I’m settled in on Star Command, Commander Nebula will either assign me to a partner or a team. I can’t wait to find out who I end up with!” She hoped she’d be assigned to a team with some of her Academy friends - not Daphne unfortunately, since Daphne would be working on Star Command, but perhaps she would end up with Flarn or someone else she knew.

“I... I’m sure you’ll do very well in your new career,” murmured her father, and she could see it took a great deal of effort for him to say this - not because he didn’t think it was true, but because he hated to support her decision to become a Space Ranger in any way.

 _He still thinks I’m making a terrible mistake._ She sighed.

* * *

It was wonderful to be back home on Tangea, and Mira spent most of her first day there rushing through the palace, visiting all her favourite places and making sure nothing had changed while she was away. She laughed to herself about this afterwards, for she realised she had nothing to fear - change was practically a dirty word on Tangea.

She greeted all her old acquaintances when she arrived, hugging Lord Angstrom and Lord Capella, who were like uncles to her, exchanging polite greetings with Capella’s family, and acting civil towards the Denebs, though avoiding them when she could.

It was strange to sleep in her old room again, and the bed felt too soft, but she enjoyed being home. There was something comforting about being among familiar surroundings, no matter how much she’d loathed them in the past when she wanted to leave, and she found herself appreciating everything much more. Tangea had its faults - she’d always known that, and she hoped to one day rectify them when she was queen - but she loved her world, and no longer detested the palace.

She enjoyed her stay very much, and when her last day arrived, she felt sad that she’d be leaving. There was excitement within her too, for in the evening she’d leave for Star Command and begin her career as a Space Ranger, but she knew she’d miss her home. Her father had been downcast all day, and Mira suspected their parting wouldn’t be easy on him either. To make it up to him, she was extra nice that day, and spent as much time with him as she could. As the day wore on, however, she retired to her room to brush up on the Space Ranger Mission Manual, and only saw King Nova again when he slipped through the wall and told her to come with him.

“What is it, Daddy?” Mira put down the manual. “It’s not time to leave yet, is it?” Glancing out the window, she saw the sky was still light - it was only late afternoon. Why was he summoning her so early?

“Just come with me.” Giving no further explanation, King Nova walked out the room, and she followed in confusion. They wandered through the halls of the palace, finally stopping at the landing bay, where several ships were parked.

Mira looked around, then turned to her father. “What are we doing here? I told you, it’s not time to leave...”

“Come, child.” He took her arm and pulled her towards one of the small ships. “We have places to go.”

“What? But... Where?” Allowing herself to be led, she was taken into the shuttle and told to sit down and strap in. “Father, where _are_ we going?” she asked again, putting on the seatbelt.

“It occurred to me,” he began slowly, “that I never fulfilled a certain promise I made to you many years ago.”

Mira blinked. “Promise? What promise?”

“When you were a young girl, your mother always wanted to take you down to the surface. She... She never got the chance to, as you know, but it was something that would have meant a lot to her.” He sighed. “I’m afraid the reason she never did was because I always said no. Perhaps if I’d been more lenient...” Shaking his head, he broke off. “But there’s no time for what-ifs. Anyway, when you were a little older, you begged me to take you to the surface. I eventually agreed, but then - well, I didn’t want to go down there and be reminded of the first time I met your mother, so I changed my mind and didn’t take you after all. I shouldn’t have done that - I should have kept my promise.”

Realisation dawned on Mira, and she squeezed his hand. “A-Are you saying you’re going to take me to the surface now?”

He nodded. “I, ahem, know you’ve already been down there...” He left unspoken the fact that her first visit had been done behind his back, and had led to her relationship with Romac, and that her second visit had been an attempt to run away. “...but I thought you might like to go again... with me.”

“Y-Yes, yes, I would.” Mira looked down, trying to keep her lips from quivering. She had never expected her father to do something like this for her, and it meant more than any other parting gift she could imagine.

King Nova started the engine, and they left the palace and flew down over the jungle, bringing the ship to the ground in a clearing. When they stepped out, Mira noticed a stream running past, and wondered if it was the same stream that tumbled down into the waterfall she’d visited with Romac.

The earthy smells that filled the air brought her back to the first time she’d travelled to the surface, and for awhile she was lost in memory, recalling that fateful night. Birds twittered happily to each other in the trees, and some were already flying home to roost, for the sun had begun to dip behind the distant cliffs. The seemingly ever-present breeze was flowing through the jungle, mussing Mira’s hair and causing her skirt to rustle as it went past. Barely audible, the stream gurgled in the background, mixing with the sound of the birds and the wind to create a natural symphony.

“I’ve missed this place,” breathed Mira. “It’s so good to be back.”

Her father, who had been leaning on his cane and taking in the scene himself, began to walk. “Come,” he called, “I... I want to take you somewhere.”

* * *

The visit to the surface wasn’t something he’d planned - it was a spur of the moment idea, and he’d gone ahead with it before he could change his mind. The way Mira’s face lit up made it all worthwhile, and he knew he’d made the right choice. Coming to the jungle wasn’t easy, though. Every sight, every smell, every sound - it all reminded him of Cerise, and he didn’t want to stay long. But there was a place he wanted to show Mira, so he stifled his own feelings and pressed on.

At last they came to the location he’d been looking for, and he called a halt. Mira stopped beside him, her eyes wide. “Wow,” she gasped. “It’s lovely here.”

“It is indeed.” He surveyed the shimmering field of kaeruli flowers. The blue petals had caught the light of the setting sun, and their shiny surfaces reflected it in all directions. The blue and orange made a beautiful combination, complementing each other perfectly. “We’re on the edge of your grandparents’ farm, you know. This is one of their fields. Later in the season they’ll be harvesting the kaeruli berries from here.”

Mira took a step forward, touching one of the glistening flowers and tracing her fingers along the stem. “It’s such a beautiful place...”

King Nova smiled. “Your mother thought so too.” Resting against his cane, he looked out across the field. “You know how we met, don’t you? My father sent me to check up on all the farms in this region - said he wanted to see how the agricultural sector was doing, but I suspect he just wanted to get rid of me for a few days - so I travelled through here, questioning the farmers about their progress and inspecting the fields. One afternoon I came to Cerise’s farm, and after talking with her parents I asked to see the fields. They sent Cerise with me to show me around, and when I first saw her... Well, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever met. It wasn’t just the way she looked - everything about her was beautiful. The way she spoke, the way she acted... It was such a breathe of fresh air after all the stuffy girls at the palace.” Chuckling softly, he settled down on a log. “We talked a lot as she showed me around. Not just about the farm, but other things as well. She told me all about herself, and I told her about my life at the palace. I’ve never been able to open up with anyone else like I could with her. We had a wonderful time, and I think I probably payed more attention to her than I did to my inspection duties. In any case, by the time we reached this field, she and I were on very good terms, and we decided to stop for a bit, right here where you and I are, and rest. We watched the sun as it went down, and it was here that I asked her to come back with me to the palace for awhile.”

Mira sat down beside him. “That’s a lovely story, Daddy.” She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed. “Don’t get mad at me for saying this, but it reminds me a lot of how I met Romac...”

Looking away, Nova gritted his teeth but suppressed the urge to make some unkind remark about the Grounder. _Now isn’t the time for that. There are still a lot of things she and I disagree on, and I’m sure we’ll continue to argue - the cosmos only know how many fights lie ahead of us - but right now we don’t have to think about that. Today we’re just a father and daughter spending time together..._

He slipped an arm around her, and she hugged him tighter. “Thank you for taking me here, Daddy,” she said.

“I had to take you - you always said you wanted to go to the surface to learn more about your mother, and this was her favourite place on the whole planet. That should tell you something about her.”

Mira nodded. “She must have loved nature.”

“Yes, she did,” answered Nova. “And she liked beauty, so this was the perfect place for her.” He paused, not knowing if he should say what he was about to say. “This... This is where I scattered her ashes after the funeral. I couldn’t think of anywhere she would have liked better as her final resting place, so this is where I came.”

“I’m s-sure she would have approved of y-your choice,” Mira choked.

King Nova patted her back. “I’m sorry, perhaps I shouldn’t have mentioned it. You seem upset...”

“No.” Mira shook her head. “I’m all right - it just hurts to think a-about... about her death...”

“I know.” Nova sighed. “I understand exactly how you feel. Even after all these years, it still hurts very badly sometimes.”

Mira wiped her eyes. “I wish things were different. I wish she was still here.”

“She would have been very proud of you,” Nova told her. “I don’t approve of this Ranger nonsense, but I wish she’d lived to see you join. It would have made her happy.”

* * *

They stayed together beside the field a little longer, then at Mira’s urging they went to the farmhouse and greeted the Aldebarans. Mira was delighted to see her grandmother again, and enjoyed meeting her grandfather. She could tell her father felt uneasy at being back there, but he stayed for her sake. They talked for some time, reminiscing at first, and then discussing the future. Mira told her grandparents that she was leaving for Star Command, and rambled at length about the Academy, and her hopes and fears for her future as a Space Ranger.

They finally left when the light had almost completely faded from the sky, and they returned to the ship. When they arrived back at the palace, Mira hurried to her room to finish packing.

As she filled her suitcase, she came upon the picture of herself and her parents that King Nova had given her for her birthday. Once she’d packed it in anger, only taking it because she longed to return to the happiness that the picture showed so clearly. Now she packed it joyfully, though her heart still ached when she looked into her mother’s smiling face. She could never return to those days, no matter how much she would have liked to, but she could still remember them. And there were good days ahead of her.

Once she’d finished packing, she made her way to the hangar, where the ship was waiting to take her to Star Command. She’d already said her goodbyes to everyone else - only one person remained, and parting with him would be the hardest of all. Her father stood beside the launch pad, his face stoic but his hands gripping the top of his cane too tightly.

“Hello, Father.” Handing her luggage to one of the guards, who took it to the ship, she stepped forward with a smile. “I, uh, guess i-it’s time for me to go now...”

Her father nodded. “I’m going to miss you, child.”

Fighting back tears, she dropped her smile. “I’ll miss you too.”

“Please... Stay safe. Stay out of danger.” He clasped her hand.

“I’ll try, Father.” She smiled again. “You do the same.”

“Of course.”

Mira glanced over her shoulder at the ship. Its engines were warming up, and the pilot was gesturing for her to hurry up. Turning back to her father, the princess fell forward and wrapped her arms around him, letting the tears flow as she kissed the top of his head. “I love you, Daddy.” _You drive me crazy sometimes, but I love you. More than anyone else in the whole universe._

He returned the hug. “I love you with all my heart, Mira.”

They remained locked together for almost a minute, but at last they broke away, and Mira took a step back. “I-I-I’ll come back to visit as soon as I can.”

“I look forward to it.”

She took another step back. “Goodbye, Father.”

“Goodbye, child.”

Turning away, she marched towards the ship and jumped through the open hatch. Closing the door and finding a seat, she told the pilot to set off. Tears continued to trickle down her face as she took one last look out the window. Her life at the palace was well and truly over for many years. She’d come back to visit, of course, but it would be a long time before she lived there again. Probably only when she was queen.

And that time would only come when her father died.

After awhile she fell asleep, her face still wet with tears, and she only awoke again when the ship was approaching Star Command. Her spirits picked up when she saw the white speck grow into the recognisable shape of the space station, and waited restlessly for the ship to reach the launch bay.

As she waited, it occurred to her that the pink gown of a princess was not appropriate clothing to wear on her first day as a Space Ranger, and she dug inside her luggage until she found her uniform. Entering the cramped bathroom, she slipped out of her dress and into the suit. When the ship finally touched down in the launch bay, she was able to walk out proudly, dressed as a Space Ranger.

Clambering out the ship, she marched along the bridge that led to the hall. Commander Nebula was waiting there, his arms folded.

“Ranger Mira Nova reporting for duty, sir!” She saluted.

He saluted back to her. “Welcome aboard, Ranger. Get your bags, I’ll have someone show you to our guest quarters. You can stay here till you’re settled in on Capital Planet.”

“Yes, sir, thank you.”

Just as she was about to walk away to get her luggage, Commander Nebula remarked to her, “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been very impressed with your record at the Academy, and I think a young Ranger like you with a lot of potential is just what I need.”

“Uh... Come again?”

Nebula sighed. “You may not have heard, but Ranger Warp Darkmatter was killed in the line of duty recently.”

“Oh no...” Mira remembered the cheerful, roguish blue Ranger she’d met on her first training mission, and her heart sank.

“He was Lightyear’s partner, and Buzz is taking it pretty hard. What he needs is a fresh recruit with a lot of promise - someone he can mentor, but who’s good enough to keep up with him.” Nebula put his hand on her shoulder. “I think you’d be the perfect partner for him.”

Mira’s mouth fell open. “W-What? M-M-Me? Buzz Lightyear’s partner?”

The commander nodded. “Like the idea?”

“Well... I... I don’t know what to say.” She ran her hands through her hair. “But... Yeah. I like the idea a lot. I just never dreamed...”

“Good. Get yourself settled in, then drop by the training deck later. There’s no active duty for you today - just training.”

“Yes, sir.” As she went to get her luggage, Mira shut her eyes and tried to take in what had just happened. _Not only am I now officially a Space Ranger, but I’m also going to be Buzz Lightyear’s partner!_

She’d been right when she was packing - good days _did_ lie ahead of her. And she couldn’t wait to experience them.

_Becoming a Space Ranger was the best decision I ever made._


	25. Epilogue

Mira did become Buzz’s partner, though under different circumstances than she’d expected, and she wasn’t the only one to join his team. Through a twist of fate, Booster Munchapper ended up on Buzz’s team too, as did a small, smart-mouthed robot Ranger named XR.

Working side by side with these three Space Rangers, she went on adventures wilder than anything she could ever have imagined, and experienced the warmest friendship and camaraderie she’d ever known.

Although she never learned about the role he played in her mother’s death - which was perhaps for the best, as it would have only opened old wounds - she did eventually discover that Lord Angstrom was far from friendly towards her and her father, and she helped bring him in after he tried again to overthrow King Nova, and he was taken to the prison of PC-7.

On her adventures, she also encountered someone she never thought she’d see again: Romac. The circumstances were less than ideal, as he was working with Zurg as a bounty hunter to bring in a defector she was trying to save, but she was still happy to see him again. Eventually he betrayed Zurg and chose to help her instead, but their reunion was short-lived, for they had both changed since they last met, and weren’t ready to renew their relationship. The Grounder promised to win her back, however, and she knew he would keep his promise.

She and her father continued to have occasional fights, and their relationship was strained almost to the breaking point when she developed a power ghosting addiction much like his. It almost cost her her life, but with his help she broke the addiction, and the events brought them closer together. Eventually her father grew to grudgingly accept her choice to be a Space Ranger, and the arguing between them became less and less frequent.

Her life was never perfect, but there were times when it was pretty close, and she found happiness in her new career, for she knew she was spending her time wisely.

She was making a difference in the universe. 


End file.
